O!'   THI-: 

.Vo ^^/£ 

Division 

Range       .      ^  .     ^^__ 

Shelf (t 

Received  ^'^^-^^'*^^-^:''±i^      187 J 


ri 


■ilii 


..'•^V. 


-y^-y.'-  '^0■'-:^-. 


X'j*:^-^..     k 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/deadshotorsportsOOmarkrich 


FIRING  ATTITUDE  NO.  1. 


THE 


DEAD    SHOT; 


OE, 


SPORTSMAN'S    COMPLETE    GUIDE 


BEING 


A  TREATISE  OX  THE  USE  OF  THE  GM, 


WITH   RXIDIMENTAKY 

AND  FINI8II1NO  LESSONS   IN  THE  ART  OP  SHOOTING   GAME  OP  ALL   KINDS: 

PI6E0N-8U00TING,   DOG-BEEAKING,   ETO. 


BY   MARKSMAN. 


NEW  YORK: 
GEO.    E.   WOODWARD,  PUBLISHER 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873, 

By  GEOEGE  E.  WOODWARD, 

In  the  Oflice  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington, 


ADYEETISEMENT. 

The  enthusiastic  greeting  with  which  this  ad- 
mirable treatise  has  been  welcomed  by  the  British 
sportsmen,  and  the  united  commendations  it  has 
elicited  from '  the  English  press,  has  induced  the 
Publisher  to  offer  it  to  American  sportsmen,  feel- 
ing assured  it  will  be  as  gratefully  accepted  by 
them. 

This  reprint  is  from  the  latest  carefully  revised 
edition,  the  illustrated  attitudes  and  positions  have 
been  carefully  redrawn  and  engraved  by  our  best 
artists ;  and  no  pains  have  been  spared  in  re- 
producing it  in  a  style  worthy  its  merits  and 
character. 

Although  Frank  Forester's  "  Complete  Man- 
ual for  Young  Sportsmen"  is  the  acknowledged 
authority  in  this  country  on  this  and  kindred 
topics,  much  new  information  will  be  found  em- 
bodied in  the  ''  Dead  Shot,"  discovered  since  the 
former  work  was  prepared,  relating  to  improve- 
ments in  breech-loading  arms  and  other  useful  in- 
formation of  advantage  to  the  new  beginner,  and 
worth  the  attention  of  the  mature  sportsman. 
One  of  the  most  valuable  features  of  the  book  is 


6  ADVERTISEMENT. 

that  which  treats  of  the  flight  of  game,  a  subject 
that  has  not  been  so  fully  discussed  in  previous 
works  on  the  science  of  shooting. 

Tliere  is  nothing  comparable  to  Marksman's 
common  sense  rules  contained  in  his  rudimentary 
lessons  on  the  art  of  shooting ;  and  especially  as 
regards  his  thoroughly  practical  finishing  lessons, 
preparing  his  pupil  by  degrees,  when  following  out 
his  precepts,  to  become  proficient  as  a  dead  shot. 

The  Author  "  has  purposely  excluded  the  sub- 
ject of  wild-fowl  shooting"  because  other  late 
works  fully  describe  this  particular  sport;  the 
wild-fowler,  and  all  who  are  interested  in  this 
branch  of  shooting,  will  find  it  elaborately  treated 
in  Frank  Forester's  "  Field  Sports." 

For  the  better  comprehension  of  this  excellent 
little  manual,  and  for  the  purpose  of  making  it 
of  practical  utility  to  the  American  sportsman,  the 
following  extract  from  Frank  Forester's  intro- 
duction to  "  The  Dog,"  by  Dinks,  Mayhew,  and 
Hutchinson,  is  appended ;  explanatory  of  the  dif- 
ferences and  comparative  relations  of  English  and 
American  game. 

"  I  will  conclude  by  observing,  that  although 
this  work  is  exclusively  on  breaking  for  English 
shooting,  there  is  not  one  word  in  it  which  is  not 
applicable  to  this  country. 


ADVEKTISEMEBTT.  7 

"  The  methods  of  woodcock  and  snipe  shooting 
are  exactly  the  same  in  both  countries,  excepting 
only  that  in  England  there  is  no  summer-cock 
shooting.  Otherwise,  the  practice,  the  rules,  and 
qualifications  of  dogs  are  identical. 

"  The  partridge  in  England,  varies  in  few  of  its 
habits  from  our  quail ;  I  might  almost  say  in 
none,  unless  that  it  prefers  turnip  fields,  potato 
fields,  long  clover,  standing  beans,  and  the  like,  to 
bushy  coverts  and  underwood  among  tall  timber, 
and  that  it  never  takes  to  the  tree.  Like  our  quail, 
it  must  be  hunted  for  and  found  in  the  open,  and 
marked  into,  and  followed  up  in  its  covert,  what- 
ever that  may  be. 

"  In  like  manner,  English  and  American  grouse- 
shooting  may  be  regarded  as  identical,  except 
that  the  former  is  practised  on  heathery  mountains, 
the  latter  on  grassy  plains ;  and  that  pointers  are 
preferable  on  the  latter,  owing  to  the  drouglit  and 
want  of  water,  and  to  a  particular  kind  of  prickly 
burr,  which  terribly  afflicts  the  long-haired  setter. 
The  same  qualities  and  performances  constitute 
the  excellence  of  dogs  for  either  sport,  and,  as 
there  the  moors,  so  here  the  prairies,  are,  beyond 
all  doubt,  the  true  field  for  carrying  the  art  of  dog- 
breaking  to  perfection. 

"To  pheasant-shooting  we  have  nothing  perfectly 


8  ADVERTISEMENT. 

analogous.  Indeed,  the  only  sport  in  North 
America  which  at  all  resembles  it,  is  ruffed-grouse 
shooting,  where  they  abound  sufficiently  to  make 
it  worth  the  sportsman's  while  to  pursue  them 
alone.  Where  they  do  so,  there  is  no  difference 
in  the  mode  of  pursuing  the  two  birds,  however 
dissimilar  they  may  be  in  their  other  habits  and 
peculiarities. 

"  Bearing  these  facts  in  mind,  the  American 
sportsman  will  have  no  difficulty  in  applying  all 
the  rules  given  in  the  admirable  work  in  question  ; 
and  the  American  dog-breaker  can  by  no  other 
means  produce  so  perfect  an  animal  for  his  pains, 
with  so  little  distress  to  himself  or  his  pupil." 

The  Game  Laws  for  the  State  of  New  York,  as 
revised  by  the  Legislature  in  1869^  have  been  in- 
troduced as  an  Appendix 


ADDRESS. 

Brother  Sportsmen, 

There  are  many  treatises  on  shooting  (most,  if  not 
all,  of  which  I  have  read) ;  yet,  in  my  humble  opin- 
ion, the  subject  has  never  been  half  fathomed. 

In  this  little  work  I  have  endeavored  to  strike  at 
the  very  roots  of  the  sport,  and  to  give  a  thorough 
explanation  of  the  principles  of  the  art  of  shooting ; 
and  then  to  lead  my  pupils  on,  step  by  step,  to  the 
summit  of  the  science,  in  the  hope  of  teaching  them 
to  hit,  with  unerring  certainty,  swiftly  flying  objects; 
and  also  to  cure  defects  in  bad  marksmen,  and  make 
them  good  shots. 

The  subject  of  wild-fowl  Shooting  is  purposely 
excluded  ;  not  for  the  reason  that  I  am  less  familiar 
with  it  than  with  other  sports  with  dog  and  gun,  but 
because,  to  do  it  justice  would  fill  a  volume ;  and  such 
having  recently  issued  from  the  press,  in  the  shape 


10  ADDRESS. 

of  a  very  complete   and  elaborate   treatise,  entitled 
"  Wild-fowler,"  there  is  no  need  of  another. 

I  have  been  accustomed  to  the  use  of  the  gun  from 
boyhood,  and  to  shooting  in  various  parts  of  the 
country ;  in  some  places  where  game  is  much  perse- 
(fUted,  and  therefore,  in  its  wildest  nature ;  and  I 
now  offer  the  public,  in  plain  and  smiple  language, 
and  in  a  form  as  concise  as  I  could,  the  results  of  my 
experience. 

Yours  devotedly. 

Marksman. 


PEEFACE 

TO 

THE  THIRD  LONDON  EDITION. 

Two  large  editions  of  this  little  treatise  having 
been  sold  within  the  first  year  of  its  publication, 
I  a^^ail  myself  of  the  opportunity,  in  a  third 
edition,  of  again  revising  it,  and  making  some 
further  additions. 

The  great  and  increasing  demand  for  the  work 
among  British  Sportsmen,  induces  me  to  believe 
that  it  finds  favor  in  their  eyes ;  and  that  my 
efforts  to  improve  and  perfect  the  "  sons  of  the 
trigger,"  in  the  art  of  shooting  and  dog-breaking, 
are  appreciated  by  those  for  whom  the  book  was 
written. 


CONTENTS. 


PASB 

Advertisement 5 

Author's  address 9 

Preface  to  the  Third  London  Edition 11 

Illustrations IT 

The  Dead  Shot 19 

Guns 21 

Advice  in  the  selection  of 23 

The  Sportsman's  Gun  proof. 28 

Technical  Names  relating  to  the  Parts  of  a  Gun 30 

"             "            "       toGunlocks 32 

To  take  a  Gunlock  to  pieces 34 

To  put  it  together 34 

Disadvantages  of  a  foul  Gun 36 

To  clean  the  Gun 37 

Experiments  in  Loading 40 

Size  of  Shot  for  Game 45 

Breech-loaders 48 

"             their  Advantages 51 

"            their  Disadvantages 54 


14  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Breech-loaders — public  Tests 60 

"            Punt-guns „ 62 

Rudimentary  Lessons  in  Shooting 64 

Errors  of  young  Sportsmen 71 

Anecdote . 15 

Taking  aim 77 

Pressing  versus  pulling  Trigger 79 

Gravitation 80 

Deflection 83 

Range 83 

The  Three  Deadly  Ranges 85 

Straight-forward  Shots 88 

Cross  Shots 89 

Descending  Shots 90 

Perpendicular  Shots 91 

"Wiping  the  eye 93 

PiNisHiNa  Lessons 94 

Golden  Secrets 99 

The  Man  who  never  misses 100 

The  Bad  Shot 103 

The  Nervous  Sportsman 106 

The  Careless  Sportsman 110 

A  Narrow  Escape 114 

The  Flight  of  Game 119 

The  Flight  of  Partridges 122 

The  Haunts  and  Habits  of  Partridges 125 

Beating  for  Game 127 

Fallows 130 


CONTENTS.  15 

PAGH 

Beatiag  Pallows — Anecdotes  of 131 

"             Double  beating 135 

Partridge-shooting 136 

To  distinguish  old  Birds  from  young 141 

Destructiveness  of  Vermin , .  , 142 

Coveys  of  Partridges - 142 

Dispersed  Coveys 145 

Towering 148 

French  Partridges 151 

"                  Special  Instruction  for  shooting  them  154 

"                  Advantages  of  a  deep  Snow 156 

Landrails 15'7 

Grouse-shooting 159 

The  FUght  of  Grouse 166 

Black  Game  Shooting . , 167 

The  Fhght  of  Black  Game ItO 

The  Duty  of  Markers , 171 

"Wounded  Game — How  to  Capture „ .......  173 

"Woodcock-shooting 17'7 

Manoeuvres  of  the  Woodcock 182 

Woodcocks,  their  favorite  Retreats 184 

The  Flight  of  Woodcocks ' ]  85 

Pheasant-shooting 189 

The  Flight  of  Pheasants 194 

Covert  Shooting 195 

Beating  Coverts 197 

The  Duty  of  Beaters 200 

Tlie  Battue 202 

Table  of  Fines  in  Battue 203 

Snipe-shooting 206 


16  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The  Flight  of  Snipes 214 

Hares , 216 

Rabbit-sliooting 219 

Snap-shooting 223 

A  Few  Stray  Hints 225 

Pigeon  Shooting 228 

Pigeon  Matches 228 

"  Ties  at 230 

»     Traps  used  at 232 

"     H  and  T  Traps 233 

•^  Pulling  the  Trap 234 

"  Professional  Pigeon-shooters 236 

"  "  Their  Tricks 231 

"  Marksman's  Rules 238 

Starhng  and  Sparrow-shooting  Matches 246 

Dog-Breaking 24*7 

"  Dumb  Signals 249 

"  Pointers  and  Setters 250 

"  Spaniels 264 

"  Retrievers 266 

A.PPENDIX. 

Game  Laws  of  New  York • 2*73 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Firing  Attitude,  No.  1 FronUspiect. 

The  Loading  Position To  face  page    41 

Firing  Attitude,  No.  2 G5 

In  immediate  Expectation  of  a  Shot 113 

Ready,  but  not  in  immediate  Expectation 197 

The  Capping  or  Tubing  Position 219 


THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

"  I  can,  I'll  not  the  truth  disguise, 
Myself  kill  bees  and  butterflies, 
While  flying  quick  from  flower  to  flower. 
Tomtits  and  sparrows,  pippits,  larks, 
Are  all  to  me  as  easy  marks." — "W.  Watt. 

He  only  can  be  called  a  "  dead  shot"  who  can  bring 
down,  with  unerring  precision,  an  October  or  No- 
vember partridge  whenever  it  offers  a  fair  chance ; 
i.  e.,  rises  within  certain  range.  No  matter  what  the 
line  of  flight  taken  by  the  bird  ;  whether  transverse, 
curved,  rectilineal,  oblique,  or  otherwise,  to  .  right 
or  left,  and  to  or  from  the  sportsman ;  if  there  are 
no  obstructions,  as  trees  or  fences,  the  dead  shot  will 
knock  it  down  dead  and  bag  it ;  and  no  game  is  con- 
sidered killed  that  is  not  bagged. 

This  definition,  however,  does  not  imply  that  every 
partridge  which  rises  within  range  must  be  killed,  in 


20  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

order  to  sustain  the  character  of  a  "  dead  shot.'^  If 
so  rigorous  a  construction  were  put  u^Don  the  expla- 
nation given,  a  "  dead  shot"  would  be  a  nonentity. 
A  too  sudden  surprise,  a  slip  or  stumble,  a  rheumatic 
twinge,  or  some  other  unexpected  occurrence,  may 
cause  the  best  shot  to  miss.  But,  making  allowances 
for  all  such  events,  with  preparation  and  expectation 
at  his  elbow,  few  indeed  are  the  "  fair  chances"  that 
escape  a  dead  shot. 

Where  game  is  abundant,  and  there  is  no  scarcity 
of  powder  and  shot,  a  great  many  birds  may  be 
killed  in  a  day,  by  a  very  ordinary  marksman ;  but 
he  who,  with  few  birds  and  few  shots,  fills  the  game- 
bag,  is,  at  least,  "  a  sportsman,"  if  not  "  a  dead  shot." 

An  experienced  sportsman  may  be  compared  with 
an  experienced  lawyer ;  the  one  is  a  man  of  few 
shots,  but  they  always  hit ;  the  other  of  few  words, 
but  they  are  always  to  the  point. 


GCNS.  21 


GUNS. 

A  HisTOEY  of  the  art  of  gun-making,  with  an  ac- 
count of  all  the  varieties  in  sporting  fire-arms,  re- 
quires a  Volume  of  itself;  even  an  epitome  of  the 
subject  would  extend  these  pages  far  beyond  their 
proposed  Umits.  And  such  a  book,  to  be  of  any  value 
as  an  authority,  must  have  been  written  by  a  gun- 
maker  of  long  experience.  A  sportsman,  however, 
will  shoot  no  better  from  reading  an  elaborate  trea- 
tise on  the  art  of  welding  and  making  guns  and  gun- 
metal.  *  Such  is  the  old-fashioned  style  of  teaching 
young  sportsmen  how  to  shoot ;  or  rather  of  filling 
out  a  volume  on  guns  and  shooting,  which  generally 
winds  up  with  some  fifty  or  sixty  pages  on  the  game 
laws  ;  the  latter  being  merely  a  reprint  from  "  Burn's 
Justice."  But  these  are  subjects  foreign  to  the  pur- 
pose of  "The  Dead  Shot."  I  will,  therefore,  only 
refer  such  of  my  readers  who  may  wish  to  pursue 
very  deeply  the  subject  of  gun-making,  to  Mr.  Green- 


22  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

er's  admirable  work  on  gunnery.  Mr.  Greener  has 
been  a  gunmaker  from  his  youth,  and  has  made  the 
art  his  study  through  Hfe  ;  he  is,  therefore,  an  author- 
ity upon  the  subject.  And  as  to  the  game  laws,  I  re- 
commend no  books  upon  that  subject  except  those 
written  by  lawyers. 

I  shall  now  confine  my  remarks  on  Guns,  to  such 
subjects  only  as  are  considered  essential  for  the  pur- 
poses of  this  volume. 

Some  men  are  extremely  fastidious  in  regard  to 
guns  ;  and  w^here  money  is  no  great  object  to  them, 
they  spend  it  freely  with  the  gunmakers,  who  delight 
in  such  customers,  and  greet  their  ears  with  all  sorts 
of  flattery,  such  as — "  I  see,  sir,  you  are  a  sportsman, 
or  you  would  not  have  made  so  judicious  a  remark." 
"Really,  sir,  it  is  quite  a  pleasure  to  show  you  a 
gun,  because  I  find  by  your  observations  that  you 
know  a  good  article  when  you  see  one."  "  ISTone  but 
a  sportsman  would  have  made  such  a  remark  as  that, 
sir*  I  therefore  feel  a  confidence  in  recommending 
that  gun  to  you."  "  I  saw,  sir,  the  moment  you  han- 
dled it,  that  you  knew  how  to  use  it ;  and  unless  I 
am  very  much  mistaken,  sir,  looking  at  your  eye, 
you  are  a  dead  shot ;  if  not,  that's  the  gun  to  make 
you  one." 


ADVICE   IN  THE    SELECTIOl!^^    OF    A    GUN.  23 

Such  is  but  a  fair  sample  of  the  everyday  blarney 
of  gunmakers,  both  in  town  and  country.  Among 
my  acquaintances  is  a  sportsman,  who  from  boyhood 
has  had  plenty  of  money  at  command ;  and  who, 
when  learning  to  shoot,  was  constantly  changing  his 
guns,  and  having  new  ones  made  to  order ;  but  after 
all  he  never  became  a  "  dead  shot,"  and  only  shot 
tolerably  well  when  forty  years  of  age. 

It  is  amusing  to  hear,  in  one's  travels  in  remote 
districts,  of  the  wonderful  qualities  of  some  extraor- 
dinary gun ;  generally  an  old-fashioned  family  relic, 
of  fifty  years  old  and  upwards,  as  the  "  best  killing 
gun  in  the  whole  neighborhood ;"  its  possessor  de- 
claring that  it  will  throAV  the  shot  stronger  and  far- 
ther than  any  modern  gun  of  its  size ;  but  on  testing, 
it  is  generally  found  inferior  in  every  respect  to  mod- 
ern guns  of  less  than  half  its  weight. 


ADVICE  IN  THE  SELECTION  OF  A  GUN. 

Beware  of  cheap  guns !  they  are  made  of  doubt- 
ful metal,  termed  "  sham  damn  skelp,"  which  is  com- 
posed of  the  most  inferior  scrap  iron.  Though  they 
may  last  a  long  time  with  care,  and  loading  with 


24  THE  DRAD   SHOT. 

small  charges,  still  they  may  be  easily  burst  on  in- 
creasing the  charge. 

The  itinerant  hardwaremen,  or  "cheap  Jacks," 
pay  from  15^.  to  ll.  each  for  "  sham  damn"  guns  ;  and 
sell  them  by  "Dutch  auction"  in  country  market- 
towns  and  villages,  to  small  farmers  and  other  un- 
wary ones,  at  prices  varying  from  1^.  5s.  to  2?.  each. 
Let  all  sportsmen  and  others  who  value  life  and  limb, 
beware  of  these,  and  indeed  of  all  cheap  guns.  It  is 
impossible  that  a  gun  of  good  quality  can  be  made 
for  double  or  even  treble  the  price  at  which  the 
"  sham  damn  guns"  are  sold. 

With  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  gun-metal,  Mr. 
Greener  recommends  those  barrels  which  are  possess- 
ed of  the  greatest  degree  of  elasticity  and  tenacity 
combined,  and  which  will  throw  the  shot  strongest 
and  closest  with  the  least  artificial  friction. 

Opinions  are  conflicting  as  to  the  "  mounting"  of 
the  gun,  ^.  e.,  the  length  and  bend  of  the  gun-stock. 
It  is  obvious,  however,  that  these  must  be  in  propor- 
tion with  the  stature,  and  length  of  neck  and  arms  of 
the  person  for  whom  the  gun  is  intended  ;  if  the  stock 
be  too  straight,  the  sportsman  will  be  apt  to  shoot 
too  high.  A  gun-stock  that  is  long  and  much  bent 
(or  crooked),  is,  in  gunmaker's  phraseology,  "high- 


ADVICE   IN  THE   SELECTION   OF   A   GUN.  25 

mounted;"  whereas  one  that  is  short,  and  nearly 
straight,  is  "low-mounted."  A  sportsman  having 
short  arms  and  a  short  neck,  requires  a  low-mounted 
gun,  and  vice  versa.  It  is,  assuredly,  a  very  important 
element  in  the  gun,  that  it  be  proportionally  mounted 
to  the  shooter's  arms,  neck,  and  shoulder,  or  it  cannot 
always  be  brought  up  quickly  and  truly  to  his  eye. 

The  gun  that  comes  up  to  the  shoulder  and  the 
eye  with  most  ease  and  accuracy,  is  the  one  with 
which  the  shooter  will  do  most  execution.  Most 
gunmakers  now  use  a  stock-gauge,  by  which  they 
are  enabled  to  fit  the  sportman's  neck  and  arms 
to  a  nicety;  though  some  makers,  through  not 
clearly  understanding  the  use  of  the  stock-gauge, 
say  they  prefer  measuring  a  gentleman's  neck  and 
arms  without  one. 

Do  not  select  a  gun  with  a  long  barrel.  The  sight- 
piece  at  the  muzzle  should  not  be  large ;  the  merest 
bright  speck  will  be  sufficient.  Many  sportsmen  pay 
no  regard  to  the  sight-piece  in  shooting,  and  knock 
it  off  purposely ;  but  this  is  wrong,  for  it  is  of  essen- 
tial service  sometimes,  particularly  on  making  a  shot 
by  twilight,  or  when  the  sun  is  shining  full  in  the 
face,  or  when  taking  aim  at  a  sitting  object ;  there- 
fore no  gun  should  be  without  a  sight-piece. 
2 


26  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

The  elevation  of  the  rib  which  divides  the  barrel 
is,  with  some  sportsmen,  an  object  of  first  impor- 
tance :  because,  in  proportion  to  the  elevation  of  the 
rib  at  the  breech  end  of  the  barrel,  so  the  gun  throws 
the  shot  above  the  horizontal  line  of  aim. 

The  young  sportsman  will  do  well  to  avoid  using 
"  low-shooting  guns ;"  i.  e.,  those  which  throw  the 
centre  of  the  shot  under  the  visual  line  of  aim. 
Guns  of  this  defective  construction  are  old-fashioned, 
and  seldom  met  with  at  the  present  day,  except  in 
ancient  flint-guns,  which  have  now  become  mere 
objects  of  curiosity. 

The  remedy  consists  chiefly  in  the  barrels  of  the 
gun  being  provided  with  an  elevated  rib,  or  made 
stout  and  thick  at  the  breech  end  ;  but  gradually 
tapering  to  the  muzzle,  where  they  should  be  thin  as 
a  silver  threepenny  current  coin  of  the  realm. 

The  locks  are  also  a  most  important  consideration 
in  the  choice  of  a  gun.  Select  the  best  workmanship^ 
and  you  will  then  have  locks  of  fine  quick  action, — a 
highly  desirable  feature  in  a  good  gun. 

A  gun  of  larger  calibre  than  is  ordinarily  used 
may,  truly,  be  more  effective  in  the  hands  of  a 
sportsman,  by  reason  of  its  carrying  a  heavier  charge ; 
but  it  is  unsportsmanlike  to  use  such  a  gr.n  for  par- 


ADVICE  IN  THE   SELECIION   OF   A   GUN.  27 

tridge  or  pheasant  shooting;  though  for  grouse, 
black  game,  wild-fowl,  and  birds  of  large  size,  and 
extra  strength  and  plumage,  it  is  the  legitimate 
weapon. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  weighty  guns  of  large  cali- 
bre have  a  considerable  advantage  over  light  ones  of 
small  gauge  ;  but  he  who  uses  a  large  gun,  capable 
of  throwing  a  large  charge  of  shot,  must  be  prepared 
to  carry  without  murmuring  the  additional  weight 
of  metal  which  of  necessity  exists  in  the  larger  gun  ; 
he  must  also  carry  more  ammunition. 

I  am  no  advocate  for  very  light  guns :  on  the 
contrary,  I  consider  it  a  defect,  rather  than  improve- 
ment in  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms,  to  strive  to 
produce  a  gun  of  the  lightest  weight.  By  lessening 
the  weight  of  the  piece  the  recoil  is  increased ;  and, 
if  it  could  be  supposed  possible  for  a  gun  to  be  so 
constructed  that  it  be  no  heavier  than  the  charge  or 
missile,  as  a  natural  result,  and  according  to  the  laws 
of  explosive  force,  on  ignition  of  the  powder,  the 
missile  and  gun  would  each  fly  in  opposite  directions, 
with  equal  velocity. 

The  weight  of  the  gun,  however,  is,  to  some  men, 
of  vast  importance  in  a  day's  shooting,  especially  in 
a  hilly  country  ;  and  on  that  account,  if  for  no  other, 


28  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

many  sportsmen  prefer  as  light  a  gun  as  is  consist- 
ent with  safety. 

For  partridge  shooting,  the  gun  should  not  be  of 
larger  gauge  than  No.  12,  nor  of  smaller  than  No.  16. 
As  much  execution  may  be  done  with  a  No.  14  as 
with  a  No.  13  ;  the  difference  in  the  shooting  being 
so  trivial  as  to  be  imperceptible ;  but  in  two  sizes 
larger  or  smaller,  the  extra  strength  of  the  one  pre- 
vails over  the  other. 

For  grouse  and  black  game  shooting,  the  gun 
should  be  from  No.  11  to  No.  14  calibre  ;  using  the 
smaller  size  at  the  commencement  of  the  season,  and 
the  larger  as  soon  as  the  birds  become  strong  on  the 
wing  and  wary. 


THE    SPORTSMAN'S    aUN-PROOF. 

All  sportsmen,  who  have  never  done  so,  should 
try  their  guns  by  firing  with  different  charges  and 
different  sized  shot,  at  large  sheets  and  quires  of 
paper  or  pasteboard,  set  up  at  various  measured 
ranges  :  the  most  effective  range  of  the  gun  may  thus 
be  discovered,  together  with  the  most  suitable  charges 
of  powder  and  shot.  Notes  should  be  made  in  writ- 
ing at   each   discharge,  by  carefully  examining  the 


THE   sportsman's   GUN-PROOF.  29 

paper  or  pasteboard,  not  only  as  to  the  indentation, 
or  number  of  pellets  or  shot-grains  which  hit  the 
paper  within  a  certain  circumference,  but  also  as  to 
the  penetration,  or  force  of  the  shot  through  the 
pasteboard. 

Experiments  of  the  kind  judiciously  made  and 
cautiously  noted,  will  be  found  of  great  assistance  to 
the  sportsman  as  to  the  strength  and  capacity  of  his 
gun ;  and  well  worth  the  trifling  expense  of  half  a 
pound  or  so  of  gunpowder  and  a  few  quires  of  large 
coarse  paper  and  pasteboard ;  the  cost  of  these,  and 
the  few  hours  which  must  be  attentively  bestowed 
upon  the  practice,  will  be  amply  repaid  to  the 
sportsman,  in  the  shape  of  many  an  extra  brace  of 
birds,  with  much  valuable  experience.  Those  who 
make  these  experiments  find,  to  their  astonishment, 
that  they  have  hitherto  been  in  error  and  ignorance 
as  to  the  best  range,  and  most  killing  charge  for 
their  guns. 

Young  sportsmen  may  be  assured,  that  on  proving 
their  guns  in  this  way  themselves,  they  will  find  ex- 
perience and  personal  observation,  under  these  tests, 
are  splendid  instructors. 

A  very  interesting  and  excellent  mode  of  testing 
the  shooting  of  a  marksman,  together  with  the  ele- 


30  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

vation  of  his  gun,  may  be  had  by  repairing  to  the 
banks  of  a  large  jDoncl,  on  a  perfectly  calm  day,  when 
the  surface  is  like  a  mirror,  and  firing  at  objects  at 
estimated  distances;  the  sportsman  can  then  see 
whether  the  shot  strikes  according  to  his  aim ;  and 
he  will  generally  find,  that,  to  hit  an  object,  as  a  stump 
or  a  floating  cork  or  bottle  at  forty  or  fifty  yards,  he 
must  aim  above  or  beyond  it. 

On  trying  experiments  of  this  kind,  an  observer 
should  be  placed  on  the  right  or  left  hand  side  of  the 
pond ;  in  which  position  he  would  be  enabled  to  take 
more  accurate  observations  than  yourself;  and  could 
tell  you  to  a  few  inches  how  far  short  or  beyond  the 
mark  your  shot  strikes. 

This  experiment,  however,  is  not  so  good  as  the 
one  suggested  at  quires  of  thick  paper ;  because  it 
does  not  prove  the  penetration. 


TECHNICAL  NAMES  RELATING  TO  THE  PARTS  OF  A 
GUN. 

Antechamber:  the  cavity  which  connects  the  hol- 
low of  the  nipple  with  the  chamber  in  the  breech. 

Bolt :  the  sliding  piece  which  secures  the  barrels  to 
the  stock. 


PARTS    OF    A    GUlSr.  31 

Creech:  the  piece  containing  the  chamber  which 
screws  into  the  barrel. 

Butt  end  of  gun-stock:  the  broad  end  which  is 
placed  to  the  shoulder. 

Cap  of  ramrod  :  the  brass  piece  which  encases  the 
worm. 

Chamber  :  the  cavity  of  the  breech  in  which  the 
powder  is  deposited  and  exploded. 

False-breech  :  the  iron  piece  on  the  gun-stock  which 
receives  the  breech-claws,  and  assists  in  holding  the 
barrel  firmly  to  the  stock. 

Elevated-rib :  the  raised  metal  along  the  upper  sur- 
face between  the  two  barrels. 

Guard:  the  scroll  of  metal  which  defends  the  trig- 
gers. 

Heelplate :  the  iron  or  brass  plate  with  which  the 
butt-end  of  the  stock  is  shod. 

Loop :  the  clasp  on  the  barrel,  through  which  the 
bolt  passes  and  secures  it  to  the  stock. 

Nipple  :  the  small  perforated  tube  on  which  the  cap 
is  placed,  and  through  which  communication  is  formed 
with  the  powder  in  the  chamber. 

Nipple-wrench  :  a  small  instrument  for  screwing  and 
unscrewing  the  ni|)ples  to  and  from  the  barrels. 


32  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

Pipes  :  small  pieces  of  tube  by  wbich  the  ramrod  is 
held  to  the  barrel. 

Mib  (upper  and  under) :  the  longitudinal  centre 
piece  which  imites  the  barrels  and  holds  them  to- 
gether. 

Side-nail:  the  screw  which  fastens  the  locks  to  the 
stock. 

Sight-piece  (in  rifles  called  sight-plate) :  the  little 
silver  knob  at  the  muzzle-end  of  the  barrels. 

Trigger-plate  :  the  iron  plate  in  which  the  triggers 
work. 

"Worm  :  the  screw  at  the  end  of  the  ramrod. 


TECHNICAL   NAMES    RELATING    TO    THE    PAETS   OF 
GUNLOCKB. 

Bridle  :  the  piece  which  caps  the  tumbler,  and  by- 
aid  of  three  screws  holds  various  parts  of  the  lock 
together. 

Chain  or  swivel :  the  small  swivel  which  connects 
the  tumbler  with  the  main-spring. 

Cock  (also  called  both  hammer  and  striker) :  the 
movable  piece  outside  the  lock;  which,  on  the  trig-, 
ger  being  pulled,  strikes  the  nipple  and  explodes  the 
cap. 


GUNLOCKS.  33 

Hammer:  see  "Cock." 

Lock-plate  :  the  flat  surface  fo'^ming  tlie  outside  of 
the  lock,  and  to  the  inside  of  which  the  small  parts 
of  the  lock  are  screwed. 

Main-spring :  the  larger  steel  spring  by  which  the 
cock  or  hammer  is  made  to  strike  the  cap  and  ex- 
plode it. 

jScear :  the  piece  which  catches  the  tumbler,  on  the 
hammer  being  moved  to  half  or  full  cock. 

Scear-si^ring :  the  small  spring  which  holds  the  scear 
in  the  notches  of  the  tumbler  at  full  or  half  cock. 

Spring-cram^p  :  a  most  useful  little  instrument  for 
taking  off  and  replacing  the  main  spring  of  a  gunlock. 

Tumbler  :  the  movable  centre  piece  subservient  to 
the  cock  and  trigger. 

Tumbler-screw:  the  outside  screw  which  secures 
the  cock  or  hammer  to  the  tumbler. 


GUNLOCKS. 

In  order  to  clean  a  gunlock  it  is  necessary  to  take 
it  to  pieces — an  exceedingly  simple  process^  with 
which  every  sportsman  should  be  acquainted.  The 
only  tools  requisite  for  the  purpose  are,  a  spring-cramp 
and  a  small  screw-driver. 
2* 


34  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 


TO  TAKE  A  GUNLOCK  TO  PIECES. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  is,  to  cramp  and  remove 
the  main-spring  :  to  do  which,  raise  the  hammer  to  full 
cock :  apply  the  spring-cramp,  and  carefully  screw  it 
up  till  the  hammer  is  powerless  (one  or  two  turns  of 
the  screw  will  be  sufficient),  press  the  scear  and  let 
down  the  hammer,  and  the  main-spring  may  be  taken 
off  in  the  claws  of  the  spring-cramp. 

The  other  parts  of  the  lock  may  all  be  taken  off  by 
merely  turning  out  the  screws ;  beyond  which  no  force 
whatever  need  be  used.  Let  the  scear-spring  be  the 
last  piece  to  be  taken  off;  place  the  screws  on  a  news- 
paper beside  the  parts  they  belong  to,  in  order  that 
there  be  no  mistake. 


TO  PUT  THE  LOCK  TOaETHER  AGAIN. 

First  screw  on  the  scear-spring,  then  the  scear ; 
then  put  in  the  tumbler  ;  then  the  bridle  ;  and  after 
these  are  all  in  their  places,  put  on  the  hammer  and 
let  it  down.  The  main-spring  may  then  be  replaced : 
first  cramp  it  with  the  spring-cramp,  then  hook  it  on 


GUNLOCKS.  35 

the  swivel,  and  slip  the  pivot  into  its  berth ;  then  take 
off  the  cramp,  and  the  lock  is  ready  for  action. 

In  all  these  operations,  remember,  that  no  force 
whatever  should  be  used,  except  in  cramping  the 
main-spring ;  and  that  must  be  done  cautiously  with 
the  spring-cramp.* 

In  cleaning  gunlocks,  brush  away  all  adhering  sub- 
stances out  of  the  joints,  holes,  and  crevices ;  rub  up 
each  piece  separately  with  soft  wash-leather,  and  be 
careful  that  no  dampness,  breathing,  or  perspiration 
be  left  upon  them.  Oil  the  pivot-nail  or  centre-piece 
of  the  tumbler,  and  the  pivot  of  the  scear ;  and  be 
careful  to  use  the  finest  oil,  such  as  is  purified  ex- 
pressly for  watchmakers  and  gunsmiths. 

If  the  gun  be  used  on  a  wet  or  foggy  day,  the  locks 
should  be  taken  off  and  cleaned  immediately  after- 
wards. 

*  I  am  very  much  surprised  to  find  that  Col.  Hawker,  in  every 
edition  of  his  work  on  Guns  and  Shooting,  gives  erroneous  in- 
structions both  for  taking  to  pieces  and  putting  together  gun- 
locks.  He  directs  the  tumbler  and  hammer  to  be  put  on  first,  in 
putting  a  lock  together,  which  is  wrong ;  and  then  he  gives  direc- 
tions as  to  a  forcible  pressure  being  necessary  for  putting  on  the 
scear  and  scear-spring ;  whereas  no  forcible  pressure  of  any  kind 
is  necessary,  as  any  one  Avill  find  if  he  acts  upon  the  instructions 
I  have  given  above ;  and  to  the  accuracy  andexpediency  of  which 
I  pledge  my  reputation. 


36  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 


DISADYANTAGES  OF  A  FOUL  GUN. 

When  a  gun  is  foul  and  dirty  inside,  it  "  kicks" 
with  much  more  deviltry  than  when  clean  ;  because  of 
the  increased  friction  and  difficulty  of  forcing  the 
charge.  A  gun  that  is  damp  or  greasy  inside,  though 
in  other  respects  perfectly  clean,  kicks  violently,  by 
reason  of  the  moisture  creating  resistance. 

A  gun  that  has  been  carelessly  put  away,  or  long 
neglected,  must  not  be  expected  to  shoot  so  well  or 
last  so  long  as  one  which  has  received  all  j^roper  and 
necessary  attention. 

The  gun  should  be  kept  as  clean  and  lubricous  in- 
side, or  cleaner  and  smoother,  if  possible,  than  polished 
stone  or  steel ;  and  it  will  shoot  so  much  the  better. 

Mr.  Greener  points  out  the  advantages  of  an  inside 
polish  to  the  gun-barrels,  when  he  says  : — 

*'  The  science  of  the  question  may  now  be  regarded 
as  clearly  established.  Gun-barrels  of  the  utmost  te- 
nacity, with  insides  of  a  cylindrical  form,  as  true  as 
possible,  polished  as  fiue  as  a  mirror,  with  a  moderate 
weight  of  shot  calculated  to  suit  the  gun,  and  a  good 
charge  of  granulated  gunpowder,  will  give  the  great- 


TO   CLEAN   THE    GUN.  37 

est  killing  power,  with  the  greatest  amount  of  comfort, 
or  absence  of  recoil,  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  pursuit 
of  shooting." 

When  guns  are  used  on  salt-water  or  by  the  sea- 
side, they  require  great  attention,  both  to  the  inside 
and  outside  the  barrels ;  or  they  may  very  soon  be- 
come injured.  Oil  must  be  employed  freely,  immedi- 
ately after  wiping  them  thoroughly  dry  on  returning 
home  ;  and  the  oil  should  be  always  wiped  off  before 
taking  the  gun  out  again. 

Guns,  when  not  in  use,  should  be  often  looked  to, 
wiped,  and  re-oiled  -with  clean,  fresh-oiled  flannel  or 
lint,  free  from  all  manner  of  dampness  or  heat ;  and 
the  hands  should  be  free  from  moisture  or  perspira- 
tion during  the  process,  which  if  performed  with 
gloves  on,  so  much  the  better. 


TO  CLEAN  THE  GUN. 

Sportsmen  should  take  care  that  their  guns  itre  not 
neglected ;  they  very  soon  become  damaged  ;  and  if 
long  laid  by  in  a  damp  or  dirty  state,  they  sometimes 
receive  irreparable  and  ruinous  injury.  It  should  not 
be  forgotten  that  they  are  made  of  a  metal  which  cor- 


38  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

rodes  and  rusts  by  neglect  or  damp ;  but  with  care 
and  attention  may  be  kept  bright  and  clean  as  if  fresh 
from  the  gunmaker's.  Remember  also,  that  few  ser- 
vants can  be  trusted  at  all  times :  and  inside  rust  can- 
not be  seen.  Generally  speaking,  after  a  day's  shoot- 
ing, a  gun  requires  cleaning :  but  if  pure  gunpowder 
and  greased  felt  Avaddings  are  used  in  loading,  these 
will  be  found  to  prevent  accumulation  of  foulness  in 
the  barrel. 

The  only  tools  required  for  taking  a  gun  to  pieces 
and  cleaning  it,  are  a  turnscrew,  a  nipple-wrench,  and 
a  cleaning  rod. 

Use  cold  water  first,  in  washing  out  the  gun  after 
shooting :  then  finish  the  washing  with  hot  water, 
not  boiling  hot,  but  just  as  hot  as  the  hand  can  bear. 
Do  not  force  the  water  through  the  nipples  longer 
or  more  than  necessary ;  but,  having  removed  all  the 
foulness,  wipe  with  cloth  or  tow ;  and  as  the  barrels 
dry,  wind  fresh  pieces  of  the  cloth  or  tow  on  the 
cleaning  rod,  so  as  to  fit  tightly  in  the  barrel ;  and 
then  by  rapidly  forcing  it  up  and  down,  the  suction 
and  expulsion  of  air  quickly  dries  the  barrels.  Wipe 
them  thoroughly  dry  both  inside  and  outside ;  and  do 
it  quickly,  or  the  rust  will  soon  appear. 

Be  careful  to  leave  no  particle  of  tow  in  the  cham- 


TO    CLEAN   THE   GUX.  39 

ber  of  the  gun.  Serious  accidents  have  occurred 
through  small  pieces  of  tow  being  left  sticking  in  the 
chamber. 

The  accident  occurs  on  re-loading  immediately 
after  the  first  discharge ;  when,  a  small  particle  of 
ignited  tow  being  left  in  the  chamber  of  the  gun,  on 
tossing  in  the  powder  to  reload,  it  instantly  ignites, 
blowing  off  the  sportsman's  hand,  or  producing  some 
such  fearful  result.  Patent  powder-flasks  may  now 
be  had,  which  guard,  in  a  great  measure,  against  the 
serious  effects  of  accidents  arising  from  such  a  cause. 

Occasionally  unscrew  and  take  out  the  nipples  of 
the  gun,  to  see  that  there  is  no  rust  or  corrosive  sub- 
stance inside ;  but  this  need  not  be  done  on  every 
occasion  of  cleaning  the  gun.  Always  turn  them  in 
again  with  oil. 

The  brass  wire  brush  may  be  used  now  and  then 
for  removing  the  accumulations  of  "  leading" — that 
metalHc  corrosion  which,  after  much  shooting,  ad- 
heres to  the  barrels,  inside,  just  above  the  spot  where 
the  charge  lies. 

But  this  process,  it  must  be  remembered,  should 
only  be  performed  when  the  gun  is  perfectly  clean  and 
dry  inside.  The  steel  brush  is  apt  to  scratch  and  in- 
jure the  barrels,  therefore  the  brass  brush  is  preferable. 


40  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

If  the  barrels  become  rusty  inside  tbrougb  long 
neglect,  of  course  they  receive  injury.  In  such  an 
event,  a  piece  of  very  fine  emery  paper  should  be 
used  for  scouring  them ;  this  may  be  done  by  wind- 
ing some  tow  round  the  cleaning  rod  so  as  to  fit 
tightly  into  the  barrel,  then  roll  the  emery  paper 
round  the  tow,  and  secure  it  with  fine  thread.  When 
judiciously  employed,  this  process,  on  being  repeated 
a  few  times,  removes  all  rust,  and  polishes  and 
smooths  the  insides  of  the  barrels  to  great  advantage. 

Use  none  but  the  finest  emery  paper  that  is  made. 


EXPEEIMENTS  IN  LOADING. 

One  of  the  secrets  of  success  in  the  book  of  a 
**  dead  shot"  is  the  art  of  loading  the  gun  with  the 
most  effective  charge ;  and,  simple  as  the  process 
may  appear  to  a  bad  shot,  there  are  very  many  sports- 
men who  do  not  do  their  guns  justice  ;  they  will  not 
take  the  trouble  to  try  them  sufficiently  at  a  mark, 
but  rely  on  what  the  gunmaker  states  to  be  a  prop- 
er charge,  and  which  is  seldom  the  correct  one.  The 
sportsman  should  test  the  gun  himself,  and  discover 
by  practical  means  the  most  deadly  charge;   and 


'HE  LOADING  POSITION. 


EXPERIMENTS   IN  LOADING.  41 

there  is  no  doubt  but  he  may  acquire  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  the  power  and  range  of  his  gun,  with  the 
most  effective  mode  of  charging  it,  by  a  few  hours' 
practice  at  pasteboards  and  quires  of  large  stout 
paper  {vide  pages  28-30),  than  by  many  months' 
practice  at  game  in  open  country. 

The  proper  quantum  of  powder  in  a  charge  varaes 
according  to  the  gun :  some  guns  require  more,  some 
less,  though  of  the  same  size  and  gauge. 

The  only  correct  mode  of  discovering  the  best  and 
most  killing  charge  of  powder  for  any  particular  gun 
is,  by  firing  with  carefully  weighed  charges  at  a  mark 
placed  at  a  measured  distance. 

There  have  been  great  improvements  of  late  years 
in  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder :  the  sportsman 
should  never  use  an  inferior  quality  ;  the  best  is  very 
much  stronger  and  purer,  and  does  not  foul  the  gun 
so  quickly  as  the  common  sort. 

Much  diversity  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  size  of 
shot  best  adapted  for  different  sjjecies  of  game  ;  but 
in  these  things  practice  is  the  best  instructor.  I 
shall,  however,  in  the  following  pages  state  my  opin- 
ion upon  the  subject,  after  years  of  experience.  The 
sportsman  ought  always  to  be  able  to  decide  for  him- 
self as  to  the  proper  size  of  shot ;  taking  into  consid- 


42  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

eration  the  time  of  year,  and  the  size  of  the  bird  he 
goes  in  pursuit  of. 

It  is  an  error  to  use  mixed  shot,  or  those  of  va- 
rious sizes  mixed  together  ;  a  charge  of  mixed  sliot  is 
not  so  effective  as  one  in  which  they  are  all  of  a  size. 

An  overcharge  of  shot  in  a  small  barrel,  rests  too 
high  in  the  cylinder  ;  and  being  heavier  than  is  strict- 
ly in  accordance  with  the  rules  of  gun-loading,  the 
powder  has  not  sufficient  power  to  drive  it  with  that 
force  which  is  requisite  ;  and  which  constitutes  the 
most  importaut  element  in  strong  and  effective  shoot- 
ing. 

Many  birds  are  missed  at  long  distances  (though 
the  aim  be  perfectly  correct)  through  disproportion- 
ate and  injudicious  loading. 

The  fault  generally  consists  in  that  of  using  too 
much  shot,  or  too  little  powder;  or  it  maybe  the 
size  of  the  shot  is  too  large  for  the  object. 

Old  sportsmen  always  use  more  powder  and  less 
shot  than  young  ones ;  the  latter  are  so  afraid  they 
should  not  have  enough  shot  in  the  gun  to  kill  the 
object:  and  they  sometimes  erroneously  fancy,  when 
they  miss,  that  the  shot  used  is  of  too  small  a  size. 

An  overcharge  of  powder. is  one  of  the  chief  causes 
of  scattering  the  shot  too  much ;  and  an  overcharge 


EXPERIMENTS   IN  LOADING.  43 

of  shot  produces  similar  results,  in  addition  to  causing 
the  gun  to  kick  severely. 

The  smaller  the  shot  the  closer  they  lie  in  the  bar- 
rel ;  and  though  large  shot  kills  farther  than  small, 
if  it  hits,  it  is  not  desirable  to  use  large  shot  except 
for  large  objects  :  because  of  the  greater  spread  and 
the  smaller  number  of  pellets. 

For  instance,  the  chances  are  six  to  one  against 
killing  a  sparrow,  either  sitting  or  flying,  at  thirty 
yards  with  No.  4  shot;  whereas,  with  the  same 
gun,  at  the  same  distance,  a  sparrow  may  be  killed 
with  certainty,  either  sitting  or  flying,  with  No.  10 
shot. 

These  experiments,  which  appear  so  clear  and  sim- 
ple, and  may  be  so  easily  tested,  are  nevertheless 
either  disregarded  through  ignorance,  or  disbelieved 
through  a  want  of  careful  natural  reflection,  by  young 
sportsmen:  the  consequence  is,  that  ofttimes  when 
their  aim  has  been  perfectly  right,  and  they  might 
have  killed  had  they  used  shot  of  a  proportionate  size, 
the  bird  has  flown  away  uninjured ;  having  escaped 
being  hit,  though  the  charge  flew  all  around  it ;  but 
the  shot  being  so  large  and  few,  not  one  happened  to 
strike,  or  at  all  events  not  in  a  vital  part. 

It  should  be  remembered,  that  on  the  instant  of 


44 


THE   DEAD   SHOT. 


force  being  applied  to  the  shot,  through  the  ignition 
of  the  powder,  it  is  the  undermost  shot  which  pror  el 
the  uppermost;  and,  all  being  solid  globular  particles, 
the  force  is  not  exactly  central  upon  each  shot ;  as  it 
might  be  if  they  were  in  the  shape  of  short  pieces  of 
tobacco-pipe  placed  one  behind  the  other  in  regular 
layers :  but  the  shot  being  perfectly  round,  a  great 
many  must  necessarily  receive  their  propellant  power 
at  the  sides  and  otherwise  than  central ;  and  so  the 
flight  of  a  few  only  of  the  shot  goes  direct  to  the  cen- 
tre of  the  mark. 

To  illustrate  this  proposition,  let  a  man  load  a  rifle 
with  two  bullets,  both  of  which  are  much  smaller  in 
diameter  than  the  gauge  of  the  rifle  :  let  the  bullets 
lie  one  on  the  top  of  the  other  in  the  barrel ;  a  wad- 
ding being  placed  over  them  to  prevent  their  rolling 
out  on  taking  aim.  With  a  rifle  so  loaded,  let  one  of 
the  most  experienced  rifle-shots  fire  at  a  three-foot- 
target  at  sixty  or  a  hundred  yards ;  and  the  chances 
are  very  many  against  either  bullet  striking  it.  The 
reason  is  clear:  the  pressure,  or  force  of  the  gun- 
powder, acting  on  the  undermost  bullet,  presses  the 
upper  one  out  of  its  straight  course ;  so  that  imme- 
diately on  leaving  the  barrel,  the  uppermost  bullet  is 
forced  aside,  or  out  of  its  trajectory  course ;  and  at 


SIZE   OF  SHOT  FOR  GAME.  45 

fifty  or  sixty  yards,  the  two  bullets  are  probably  two, 
three,  or  six  yards  apart. 

The  same  principle  applies  to  large  shot  in  a  small 
barrel ;  though,  of  course,  as  the  size  of  the  shot  is 
diminished,  so  the  deviation  from  the  true  line  is  de- 
creased. Sportsmen  who  wish  to  pursue  and  look 
more  strictly  into  this  theory,  should  procure  a  few 
inches  of  small  glass  tube,  of  the  same  interior  size  as 
the  barrels  of  their  guns  :  plug  one  end  of  the  tube, 
and  put  in  a  charge  of  large  shot ;  it  will  then  be  seen 
how  they  lie,  one  above  the  other,  in  the  gun ;  the 
vacua  between  them  being  many^and  large,  so  that 
the  pressure  upon  each  shot  cannot  be  central ;  there- 
fore, on  being  forced  out  of  the  gun,  there  must  be  a 
tendency  to  diverge.  If  then  he  takes  another  tube, 
and  introduces  a  charge  of  small  shot,  he  will  see  that 
those  lie  more  evenly  and  compactly ;  and  conse- 
quently, on  being  forced  out  of  the  barrel,  the  diver- 
gency must  be  very  much  less. 

After  years  of  experience  and  a  careful  study  of  the 
subject,  theoretically  and  practically,  I  recommend : — 

For  partridge  shooting  during  the  first  fortnight  in 
September,  No.  7  shot ;  then  No.  6  to  the  middle  of 
October;  and  afterwards  No.  5  to  the  end  of  the 
season. 


46  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

For  pheasant  shooting,  USTo.  6  in  October ;  Ko.  5 
during  the  rest  of  the  season. 

For  grouse,  No.  7  the  first  fortnight,  then  No.  6 ; 
and,  when  very  wild,  No.  5. 

For  black  game,  No.  6  at  first ;  No.  5  in  October ; 
then  No.  4  to  the  end  of  the  season.  If  a  larger  gun 
than  common  be  used,  larger  shot  will  be  required, 
and  so  much  the  better  for  black  game,  when  wild. 

For  woodcock  use  No.  7  or  No.  6. 

For  snipes  No.  8  is  best ;  but  larger  than  No.  7 
should  never  be  used. 

For  shooting  wild  ducks  with  a  shoulder  gun,  use 
No.  5,  4,  or  3,  according  to  the  size  of  the  gun. 
When  boat-guns,  stanchion-guns,  or  punt-guns  are 
used,  very  much  larger  shot  will  be  required. 

When  game  is  very  wild,  cartridges  may  be  used 
with  considerable  advantage  ;  but  they  should  not  be 
made  with  larger  shot  than  those  recommended  for 
the  different  species  above  enumerated. 

It  is  a  common  practice  among  prize  shooters  to 
arrange  loose  stringy  pieces  of  tow  among  the  shot, 
or  to  wrap  the  charge  in  paper,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  shot  scattering;  but  unless  very  judiciously 
performed,  no  extra  advantage  is  gained  by  such 
experiments. 


SIZE   OF  SHOT  FOE   GAME.  47 

A  thirteen-gauge  gun,  which  is  perhaps  the  most 
usual  size  lor  partridge  and  general  shooting,  should 
b9  charged  liberally  with  powder,  according  to  the 
strength  and  quality  of  the  barrels:  but  1^  oz.  of 
shot  is  the  very  utmost  that  should  be  used  in  a 
single  charge;  from  1  oz.  to  1|  oz.  will  generally  be 
found  the  most  effective  charge:  and  the  highest 
average  execution  will  be  done  at  partridge  shooting 
with  No.  6  shot. 

For  a  gun  of  No.  16  gauge  use  a  liberal  charge  of 
powder,  and  1  oz.  shot  at  the  most ;  if  one-eighth  less 
than  an  oz.,  probably  the  gun  will  throw  it  stronger. 
No.  7  is  the  most  killing  sized  shot  for  a  gun  of  this 
caliber. 

Mr.  Greener,  in  his  book  on  Gunnery,  makes  the 
following  observations ;  which  it  will  be  seen  very 
nearly  coincide  with  my  views  upon  the  same  sub- 
ject :— 

"  From  many  experiments  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  a  fourteen-gauge,  two  feet  eight  inches  barrel, 
should  never  be  loaded  with  above  1{  oz.  of  shot 
(No.  6  will  suit  best),  and  the  utmost  powder  she 
will  burn.  A  fifteen-gauge  will  not  require  more 
than  1  oz. :  and  no  doubt  No.  7  would  be  thrown  by 
her  quite  as  strong  as  No.  6  by  the  fourteen-gauge 


48  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

gUD,  and  do  as  much  execution  at  forty  yards,  with 
less  recoil" 

In  loading  large  guns,  and  indeed  all  guns,  due 
attention  must  always  be  paid  to  the  quality  of  the 
metal  of  whicli  the  gun  is  composed,  as  well  as  the 
size  of  the  barrels  ;  and  the  charge  must  be  regulated 
accordingly:  the  better  the  metal  the  more  freely 
the  powder  may  be  used. 

The  best  waddings  for  loading  sporting  guns  are 
made  of  felt,  the  edges  of  which  should  be  anointed 
with  oil. 

In  all  guns  a  good  firm  wadding  should  be  pl^ed 
over  the  powder ;  a  slight  one  will  suffice  for  the 
shot.  In  proportion  with  the  size  of  the  gun,  tho 
thickness  of  the  wadding  should  be  increased. 


BREECH-LOADERS. 

The  invention  of  breech-loading  guns  is  not  by 
any  means  a  new  discovery ;  it  was  tried  in  various 
forms,  by  scores  of  inventors,  soon  after  the  intro- 
duction of  fire-arms.  Subsequent  inventors  have 
from  time  to  time,  in  years  long  past,  frequently  ap- 
plied the  most  searching  ingenuity  to  the  subject ; 
and  though  they  succeeded  in  almost  every  case,  in 


BEEECH-LOADEES. 


49 


producing  a  breech-loader,  in  no  one  instance  have 
they  ever  succeeded  in  making  one  possessing  equal 
advantages  to  a  muzzle-loader. 

The  modern  inventions  which  have  been  patented 
of  late  years  are  similar  to  those  which  were 
experimentalized  upon  over  and  over  again;  and 
finally  abandoned,  because  the  inventors  despaired 
of  producing  a  perfect  form  of  breech-loader,  or  one 
that  would  kill  with  equal  force  at  equal  distance  to 
a  muzzle-loader  :  and  killing  at  long  distances  being 
the  greatest  desideratum  in  a  sporting-gun,  if  the 
breech-loader  fails  in  this  respect  it  cannot  be  said  to 
be  equal  to  the  other. 

Great  credit  is  due  to  inventors  for  having  suc- 
ceeded in  j^roducing  a  very  handsome  and  useful  gun 
for  short  ranges  ;  but  beyond  that,  no  corresponding 
advantages  are  gained  by  present  inventions. 

The  most  strenuous  advocates  of  the  breech-load- 
ing  system,  as  applied  to  guns,  have  failed  in  their 
attempts  to  prove  that  the  advantages  are  equal  to 
those  possessed  by  the  muzzle-loaders. 

Breech-loading  rifles^  however,  are  among  the 
most  valuable  improvements  of  the  present  age. 
They  are  quite  as  safe  in  the  handling,  and  nearly  as 

effective  in  range,  as  the  muzzle-loaders.     For  mili- 
3 


50  THE   DEAD    SHOT.       ' 

tary  purposes  they  are  invaluable,  especially  to 
troops  of  cavalry  ;  and  to  the  hunter  who  treads  the 
wild  forests  and  jungles  of  eastern  countries,  or  the 
western  prairies  of  America,  where  successive  in- 
stantaneous loading  may  sometimes  save  him  his  life, 
or  double  and  treble  his  sport,  there  is  no  weapon  on 
w^hich  he  can  so  faithfully  rely  as  the  breech-loading 
rifle. 

As  regards  breech-loading  guns^  they  appear  to  be 
progressing  towards  perfection,  but  at  present  are 
certainly  wide  of  the  mark. 

I  have  no  wish  to  discourage  those  who  possess 
breech-loaders ;  they  will  find  them  useful  for  every 
purpose  but  wet  days  and  long  shots.  As  regards 
myself,  I  use  a  breech-loader  for  tame  game,  and  in 
early  season  ;  but  for  all  purposes  of  wild  game  and 
real  sport,  long  shots,  and  security  at  the  breech,  I 
give  infinite  preference  to  muz;zle-loaders. 

It  is  impossible  there  can  be  a  more  fatal  argu- 
ment against  breech-loading  guns  than  that  they  are 
of  much  weaker  range  and  effect  than  muzzle- 
loaders.  When  that  defect  can  be  removed,  and  the 
breech-loader  made  to  exceed,  or  even  equal,  the  other 
in  those  most  essential  particulars,  then,  and  not  till 
then,  will  breech-loaders  supersede  muzzle-loaders. 


BREECH-LOADERS.  51 

Breech-loaders  must  be  well  made :  one  of  inferior 
metal,  or  bad  or  careless  workmanship,  would  be  a 
most  dangerous  weapon. 

The  construction  of  a  breech-loader  will  be  found 
on  examination  to  be  exceedingly  simple ;  the  lever, 
the  joint,  and  the  bolt,  being  the  chief  parts  in  con- 
nection with  the  apparatus  for  loading  at  the  breech. 

The  cartridges  with  which  these  guns  are  loaded 
contain  the  complete  charge  of  powder,  shot,  and  cap, 
all  in  one ;  together  with  a  small  pin  which  explodes 
the  cap  in  the  powder,  on  being  struck  by  the 
hammer.  Good  and  successful  shooting  with  a  breech- 
loader depends,  in  a  great  measure,  on  the  care  and 
attention  with  which  the  cartridges  are  made.  They 
must  fit  the  barrel  closely,  in  order  to  shoot  well ;  but 
if  too  closely,  they  are  liable  to  be  set  fast  in  the  barrel. 

The  chief  advantages  possessed  by  the  breech-load- 
ing gun  are  these  : — 

1.  The  simplicity  and  quickness  with  which  it  may 
be  loaded.  And  the  risks  incident  to  carelessness  or 
negligence,  in  loading  one  barrel  whilst  the  other  is 
charged  and  capped,  or  at  full  cock,  are  entirely  ob- 
viated in  the  breech-loader. 

2.  The  ramrod,  loading-rod,  powder-flask,  shot- 
pouch,  and  cap-holder,  are  all  dispensed  with. 


52  THE  DEAD  SHOT. 

3.  Much  of  the  time,  trouble,  risk,  and  waste  of  am- 
munition on  drawing  a  charge  are  obviated ;  because 
the  cartridge  may  be  easily  and  quickly  withdrawn 
from  the  breech-loader,  by  simply  turning  the  lever 
and  opening  the  joint.  Therefore  there  is  no  occasion 
to  fire  off  the  breech-loader  at  the  close  of  a  day's 
shooting ;  the  charge  may  be  simply  drawn  out  of  the 
barrel  and  returned  to  the  cartridge  pouch. 

4.  The  breech-loader  may  also  be  charged  in  rapid 
succession,  whilst  the  sportsman  is  lying  on  the 
ground,  or  in  a  cramped  position. 

5.  The  moisture,  which  it  is  said  is  sometimes 
forced  down  upon  the  powder  by  the  wadding,  from 
the  sides  of  the  barrel,  is  not  disturbed  ;  but  the  pow- 
der, in  its  purest  state,  is  deposited  at  the  breech-end 
of  the  barrels. 

6.  The  barrels  may  be  cleaned  with  much  greater 
facility  than  those  of  a  muzzle-loader. 

Li  addition  to  these,  it  may  also  be  stated  that 
there  are  some  other  minor  advantages  which  should 
not  be  overlooked.  For  some  purposes  of  sport  it  is 
sometimes  desirable,  when  in  the  field,  to  change  the 
shot  as  quickly  as  possible  :  for  instance,  when  snipe- 
shooting,  it  is  not  unusual  to  fall  in  with  wild  duck 
or  teal ;  when,  if  the  sportsman  is  enabled  to  mark 


BREECH-LOADEBS.  53 

them  down,  or  discover  them  before  they  rise,  he 
proceeds  to  extract  the  snipe-shot,  and  load  with  No. 
4,  or  a  cartridge.  With  a  breech-loader  the  risk 
and  trouble  of  drawing  the  charge  at  the  muzzle  are 
avoided  ;  and  the  cartridge  containing  snipe-shot  may 
be  withdrawn  in  a  moment,  and  replaced  with  one 
containing  large  shot.  And  then,  should  the  sports- 
man fail  in  his  attempts  to  stalk  the  wild  fowl,  the 
cartridges  may  be  changed  again  with  the  same  fa- 
cility ;  whereas,  similar  circumstances  with  a  muzzle- 
loader  would  necessitate  the  trouble  and  risk  of  twice 
drawing,  changing,  and  replacing  the  shot.  In  the 
hands  of  careless,  over-anxious,  excitable,  and  ner- 
vous sportsmen,  a  breech-loader  is,  perhaps,  the  safer 
gun  of  the  two  ;  because  all  the  risks  incident  to  load- 
ing are  avoided.  Carelessness,  nervousness,  haste,  or 
over-anxiety  in  loading,  would  scarcely  incur  danger 
wdth  the  breech-loader ;  whereas,  in  the  muzzle-loader, 
they  are  the  causes  of  many  accidents. 

On  entering  a  house  with  a  muzzle-loader,  or 
riding  or  driving  along  the  road,  it  is  usual  to  insist 
on  the  ca2^s  being  removed  from  the  nipples.  With 
the  breech-loader  the  lohole  charge  may  be  as  quickly 
withdrawn,  and  the  gun  is  then  comparatively  harm- 
less. 


64  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

The  disadvantages  are  these  : 

1.  The  breech-loader  does  not  shoot  so  strong,  nor 
kill  so  far  as  the  muzzle-loader,  though  allowed  a 
quarter  of  a  drachm  of  powder  extra. 

2.  The  breech-loader  is  of-  necessity  much  heavier 
than  a  muzzle-loader  of  the  same  gauge. 

3.  It  is  more  expensive  as  regards  ammunition, 
and  also  as  to  the  gun  itself;  the  latter  by  reason  of 
its  not  lasting  so  long,  and  its  greater  liability  to  get 
out  of  repair  than  a  muzzle-loader. 

4.  The  recoil  on  discharge  is  heavier,  and  the 
report  louder  than  that  produced  by  a  muzzle-loader. 

6.  The  penetration  of  wet  and  damp,  in  rains,  fogs, 
or  mists,  between  the  false-breech  and  barrels,  and 
often  into  the  cartridge  itself,  cannot  be  avoided  in 
the  present  form  of  breech-loader ;  more  especially 
in  one  that  has  been  much  used.  And  if  the 
cartridge-case  gets  damp  it  adheres  to  the  barrel,  and 
cannot  be  removed  without  considerable  difficulty. 

6.  There  is  obviously  a  greater  risk  of  bursting : 
indeed,  the  safety  of  the  breech-loader,  after  much 
usage,  becomes  doubtful,  by  reason  of  the  escape  of 
gas  between  the  false-breech  and  barrels ;  particular- 
ly after  the  trying  vibrations  of  heavy  charges. 

7.  The   time   and  trouble  required  in  filling  the 


BREECH-LOADERS  :    THEIR   DISADVANTAGES.         55 

cartridges,  and  the  danger  attending  that  operation, 
before  going  out  shooting,  are  very  considerable  ;  and 
it  is  with  one  peculiar  form  of  cartridges  only  that 
the  breech-loader  can  be  used ;  and  if  purchased  of 
the  gun-maker  ready  filled,  they  come  very  expensive. 

8.  The  operation  of  making  and  filling  the  car- 
tridges is,  to  a  sportsman,  a  tedious,  dirty,  danger- 
ous, and  laborious  one  ;  quite  as  much  so  as  making 
fireworks, 

9.  Another  serious  objection  to  the  breech-loader 
is,  the  great  weight  of  ammunition  that  must  be 
carried,  in  the  shape  of  ready-made  cartridges,  when 
going  to  the  Highlands  or  any  remote  shooting  quar- 
ters. And  then  arises  the  difficulty  of  keeping  them 
perfectly  dry  in  damp  weather ;  and  every  one  knows 
how  very  soon  the  damp  will  penetrate  through  a 
paper  case,  and  cake  and  weaken  the  force  of  the 
gunpowder. 

10.  The  cartridges  must  be  carried  in  a  strong 
case,  with  divisional  compartments  for  each 
cartridge.  In  the  event  of  their  being  carried  loose 
they  become  damaged ;  and  the  danger  of  so  carry- 
ing them  is  excessive,  by  reason  of  the  results  which 
may  ensue  in  the  event  of  a  fall  or  accident  in  getting 
over  a  hedge  or  otherwise,  whereby  a  blow  or  fric- 


56  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

I 

tion  is  given  to  the  metal  pin  which  explodes  the 
cap. 

11.  The  extra  weight  incurred  in  being  obliged  to 
carry  a  sufficient  number  of  cartridges  for  a  day's 
sport,  in  a  very  cumbersome  leather  case,  with  iron 
compartments,  considerably  exceeds  the  ordinary 
weight  of  powder-flask  and  shot -pouch,  with  ammu- 
nition for  a  similar  amount  of  sport. 

12.  Another  of  the  principal  defects  in  the  breech- 
loader is  the  flat  surface  of  the  breech  ;  which  scien- 
tific and  practical  experimenters  have  proved  to  be 
erroneous,  by  reason  of  the  much  greater  power  and 
extra  force  which  may  be  obtained  from  the  conical 
interior  form  of  solid  breech  :  the  rule  being,  that 
"  force  cannot  be  expended  and  retained  also  :"  and, 
as  it  must  of  necessity  be  expended  to  a  certain  de- 
gree by  explosion  and  recoil  on  a  flat-surfaced  breech, 
extra  powder  is  required  to  produce  like  effects  to 
those  which  result  from  the  solid  conical  breech. 
The  recoil  is  also  considerably  greater  on  a  flat  sur- 
face than  on  a  tapering  one. 

13.  Joints,  joinings,  slides,  and  bolts,  are  all  in- 
ferior to  a  well-made  screw,  as  regards  soundness  of 
the  breech.  A  perfectly  solid  breech,  free  from  all 
suspicious  joinings,  crevices,  and  openings,  must  be 


BKEECH-LOADEKS  :    MINOR   DEFECTS.  57 

by  far  the  safer  and  more  effective  one  in  any  instru- 
ment in  which  so  searching  a  substance  as  gunpow- 
der has  to  be  compressed  and  exploded. 
Among  the  minor  disadvantages  are  these  : 
On  reloading,  it  is  necessary  to  draw  out  the  case 
of  the  discharged  cartridge  before  inserting  a  full 
one.  It  is  true,  the  discharged  cartridge  may  gener- 
ally be  withdrawn  almost  instantly ;  but,  if  intended 
to  be  refilled  and  used  again  another  day,  it  must  be 
carefully  replaced  in  the  cartridge-case,  in  one  of  the 
divisional  compartments ;  for  if  carried  loose  in  the 
pocket  it  is  soon  spoilt.  Therefore,  if  these  impor- 
tant minutisB  be  taken  into  consideration,  it  will  be 
found,  after  all,  that  there  is  but  very  little  saving  of 
time  in  re-charging  the  breech-loader. 

With  regard  to  re-filling  the  cartridge-cases,  the 
makers  warrant  that  the  discharged  cases  may  be  re- 
filled and  used  again  with  the  same  facility  and  effect, 
some  of  them  two  or  three  times.  This,  however,  is 
not  always  so;  on  the  contrary,  the  cases  expand  so 
much  on  explosion  of  the  powder,  that,  when  re-filled, 
they  are  sometimes  not  only  difiicult  to  thrust  into 
the  barrel,  but,  on  second  explosion,  they  stick  so 
fast,  that  in  many  instances  the  copper  end  comes  off, 
on  the  case  being  attempted  to  be  withdrawn ;  and 


58  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

the  paper  is  left  inside.  And  then,  unless  a  loading- 
rod  is  at  hand,  with  which  to  force  out  the  paper- 
case,  your  breech-loader  is  powerless. 

None  but  those  who  have  experienced  the  diffi- 
culty of  extracting  a  bursted  cartridge-case,  which 
adheres  firmly  to  the  sides  of  the  barrel,  can  imagine 
the  annoyance  it  causes  :  and  if  the  cases  get  damp, 
or  if  re-filled  ones  are  used,  the  difficulty  is  constantly 
occurring.  And  then  the  "  extractor"  is  of  little  use 
beyond  pulUng  away  the  brass  bottom  of  the  cart- 
ridge, and  leaving  the  paper  case  the  more  difficult  to 
remove. 

Unless  the  brass  pin  which  explodes  the  cap  is 
made  very  precisely,  a  mis-fire  is  inevitable.  If  there 
is  any  corrosive  substance  upon  it,  or  upon  the  sides 
of  the  hollow  in  which  it  travels,  the  hammer  will  fail 
to  drive  it  home,  or  explode  the  cap.  The  hammer 
must  strike  it  in  exact  position,  or  the  j)in  will  bend ; 
any  extra  length  or  protrusion  of  the  pin,  or  any  damp- 
ness or  foulness  which  causes  it  to  stick,  or  if  the  pin 
be  nipped  in  any  way  so  as  to  weaken  the  force  of 
the  hammer,  a  mis-fire  will  probably  be  the  result. 
And  the  pins  must  not  be  too  loose,  or  they  will  drop 
out  of  the  cartridges  on  any  sudden  or  violent  exer- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  sportsman. 


BEEECH-LOADEES  :   MINOR   DEFECTS.  59 

If  on  drawing  out  an  unexploded  cartridge,  the 
brass  end  comes  oif,  or  breaks  away  from  the  paper- 
case,  it  will  not  be  advisable  to  use  the  cartridge  in 
that  state  :  it  cannot  be  safe  to  explode  it  in  the  bar- 
rel of  a  breech-loading  gun  ;  in  fact,  it  would  be  ial- 
most  as  unsafe  as  a  loose  charge  of  powder.  And  in 
the  event  of  the  cap  missing  fire  in  a  breech-loading 
cartridge,  it  is  not  desirable  to  recap  the  cartridge. 
When  once  the  brass  and  the  pasteboard  part  com- 
pany, the  power  of  retaining  the  explosive  force  with- 
in the  case  is  considerably  weakened,  and  so  is  the 
expulsive  force. 

The  rapidity  with  which  a  succession  of  shots  may 
be  made,  is  urged  as  one  of  the  chief  recommenda- 
tions of  the  breech-loader  ;  but  rapidity  of  firing  is 
seldom  desirable  :  and  the  barrels  may  become  heated 
to  djmger.  The  sportsman's  every-day  success  fre- 
quently depends  on  the  range  of  his  gun ;  but  seldom 
on  the  rapidity  of  loading  and  firing  it. 

For  partridge-shooting  during  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember, or  at  all  events  during  the  first  fortnight,  a 
safe  and  well-made  breech-loading  gun  is  a  highly  de- 
sirable one  ;  but  later  in  the  season,  when  partridges 
become  wild  and  require  hard  hitting,  a  muzzle-loader 
is  by  far  the  more  useful  weapon. 


60  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

The  crowning  feature  in  every  gun  is  the  force  and 
eifect  with  which  it  throws  the  shot :  the  gun  which 
will  throw  the  shot  sharpest  and  strongest,  and  con- 
sequently kiUing  the  farthest,  is,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  the  better  gun  in  the  hands  of  a  good 
sportsman. 

The  following  facts,  the  results  of  the  latest  public 
tests  between  breech-loaders  and  muzzle-loaders,  are 
submitted  to  the  impartial  consideration  of  sports- 
men ;  they  are  so  clear  that  they  need  not  a  word 
in  explanation,  beyond  this,  that  they  took  place  pub- 
licly at  Cremorne  and  Hornsey,  in  the  years  1858  and 
1859,  in  presence  of  several  exiDerienced  sportsmen. 
Many  guns  were  tried  of  the  same  caliber  by  various 
makers  ;  the  same  sized  shot  were  used  on  both  sides, 
and  the  targets  placed  at  precisely  the  same  distances. 

The  following  are  fair  average  results  selected  from 
the  score-sheet: 

Breech-loader,  charged  with  3  drachms  gunpowder 
and  1}  oz.  shot. 

Muzzle-loader,  charged  with    2^    drachms    gun- 
powder and  1^  oz.  shot. 


BREECH-LOADERS.  61 


Results.* 


Breech-loader,  170  pellets  in  target:  penetration 
19  (measuring  through  19  sheets  of  paper). 

Muzzle-loader,  231  pellets  in  target :  penetration  48 
(measuring  through  48  sheets  of  paper). 

It  is  impossible  for  results  to  have  been  more  con- 
clusive, conducted  as  they  were  with  great  care  and 
impartiaUty ;  and  in  presence  of  some  of  the  most 
strenuous  supporters  of  the  breech-loading  system. 

Other  trials  took  place  at  Ashburnham  Park,  and 
Kilburn  Victoria  Rifle  ground,  mth  similar  results  ; 
the  breech-loaders  being  signally  beaten,  despite  their 
extra  allowance  of  gunpowder. 

The  breech-loader  must  have  its  extra  quarter 
drachm  of  powder ;  consequently,  the  barrels  must  be 
of  stouter  siibstance  than  the  muzzle-loader  of  the 
same  caliber ;  and  yet,  with  both  these  extras,  the 
shooting  is  not  so  strong  as  that  of  the  other. 

Undoubtedly,  the  most  perfect  and  useful  gun  in 
the  hands  of  a  sportsman,  is  that  which  possesses  the 
power  of  shooting  strongest  and  farthest  with  the 
smallest  charges. 

*  These  results  were  publicly  made  known  at  the  time,  through 
the  columns  of  every  sporting  paper  in  tlie  land. 


62  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

Bad  shots,  inexperienced  sportsmen,  and  those 
who  are  ignorant  of  the  true  principles  of  good 
shooting,  will  probably  be  heard  frequently  express- 
ing their  opinions  in  favor  of  the  breech-loader ;  and 
probably  with  much  honesty  of  purpose;  for  perhaps 
such  men  may  find  that  they  kill  more  game  with  a 
breech-loader  than  with  a  muzzle-loader. 

Mr.  Greener,  who  has  written  a  very  able  book  on 
Gunnery,  and  who  has  devoted  his  whole  life  to  that 
subject,  and  obtained  one  or  two  jDatents  for  breech- 
loading  guns,  candidly  admits  that,  in  his  opinion, 
there  is  no  possibility  of  inventing  a  breech-loader 
such  as  would  shoot  with  equal  force  and  effect  to 
that  of  a  well-made  muzzle-loader. 

Mr.  Greener's  opinion  on  the  subject  is  worthy  of 
the  highest  consideration ;  he  sums  up  his  remarks 
in  the  following  damnatory  sentence :  "  Breech- 
loaders do  not  shoot  nearly  so  well,  and  are  not  half 
so  safe  as  muzzle-loading  guns." 

It  has  always  been  urged,  on  the  part  of  the  advo- 
cates of  the  breech-loading  system,  that  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  punt-gun  for  wild-fowl  shooting,  the 
breech-loader  is  invaluable,  because  it  dispenses  with 
the  necessity,  on  re-loading,  of  shifting  so  heavy  a 
gun  to  the  aft  part  of  a  very  fragile  boat ;  this  is  un- 


BREECH-LOADEES.  63 

doubtedly  an  advantage ;  but  then  again,  the  great 
and  insurmountable  disadvantage  as  to  range^  stares 
us  in  the  face.  And  for  a  punt-gun,  of  all  things, 
range  is  the  most  important  consideration.  Wild- 
fowl are,  by  nature,  so  extremely  vigilant ;  and  the 
punter  so  exposed  on  the  open  water,  without  any 
screen  to  hide  him,  that  the  most  skilful  fowlers  find 
it  very  difficult  to  approach  within  range :  it  is  there- 
fore an  indisputable  fact,  that  the  gun  w^hich  shoots 
sharpest  and  farthest  is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes, 
the  best  and  only  serviceable  one  to  the  practical 
punter :  and  such  a  gun  is  not  to  be  found  among  the 
breech-loading  punt-guns. 

A  writer  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Sporting  Re- 
view says  :  "  Having  tested  several  of  these  novel- 
ties or  breech-loading  j)unt-guns  side  by  side  with 
muzzle-loaders,  I  maintain,  in  defiance  of  every  gun- 
maker  in  England^  that  the  breech-loading  punt-gun 
has  yet  to  be  made  that  will  equal  a  good  sound  per- 
cussion muzzle-loader,  in  range,  compactness,  and 
strength  of  throwing  the  shot.  A  muzzle-loader 
punt-gun  will  kill  one-fourth  farther  than  a  breech- 
loader ;  and  if  the  muzzle-loader  be  charged  wdth  a 
cartridge,  it  will  beat  the  breech-loader  nearly  one- 
third." 


04  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 


EUDIMENTAEY    LESSOE"S. 


"  Enough  1  permit  me  now  to  sing 
The  art  of  killing  birds  on  wing." — "Watt. 


The  young  sportsman  should  commence  by  using 
himself  to  handle  and  carry  the  gun  in  a  safe  position  : 
then  point  it  at  small  objects,  sitting,  flying,  and  run- 
ning fast  and  slow.  When  he  has  had  several  les- 
sons on  these,  he  may  load  with  a  little  j^owder,  but 
no  shot ;  and  after  firing  away  some  two  or  three 
dozen  charges  in  course  of  a  week,  he  may  commence 
by  shooting  small  birds  sitting,  using  very  small  shot, 
and  loading  with  small  charges. 

Shooting  sparrows  from  a  i^igeon-trap  is  very  good 
initiatory  practice  for  partridge-shooting ;  and  if  a 
very  small  portion  of  the  tips  of  the  feathers  in  each 
wing  be  clipped  oif  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  or  if  a 
portion  of  their  tails  be  cut  off  in  the  same  manner,  it 
will  make  them  fly  so  steadily,  and  so  much  like 


FIRING  ATTITUDE  NO.  2. 


Rudimentary  lessons. 


65 


young  partridges,  that  it  will  be  as  good  practice  as 
he  can  make,  before  the  shooting  season  commences. 
Another  mode  of  making  sparrows  fly  steadily  is,  by 
slipping  a  bit  of  paper  over  their  heads  ;  the  process 
is  performed  by  simply  cutting  a  hole  in  the  centre 
of  a  piece  of  paper  about  three  or  four  inches  square, 
and  by  putting  their  heads  through  it ;  the  paper 
forms  a  collar,  which  impedes  their  flight  considera- 
bly. 

When  the  dog  points  at  game,  never  run,  but  walk 
leisurely  up,  taking  firm  steps  ;  you  will  then  have  a 
better  command  of  your  range,  and  the  fliglit  of  the 
bird  when  it  rises  (which  it  may  do  at  any  instant), 
than  if  loping  along  with  hasty  strides. 

On  presenting  and  taking  aim,  always  remember 
that  the  hand  which  touches  the  trigger  must  obey 
the  eye  ;  not  the  eye  the  hand. 

Put  your  left  hand  forward  in  advance  of  the 
guard,  to  grasp  the  barrel  and  assist  in  holding  the 
gun  steady  (see  frontispiece). 

Light  guns  may  be  held  firmly,  by  placing  the  left 
hand  in  front  of  the  trigger-guard  (see  opposite  plate, 
and  compare  with  the  frontispiece)  ;  and  a  strong 
man  can  accustom  himself  to  hold  a  tolerably  heavy 
gun  in  this  manner ;  it  is,  however,  a  plan  I  do  not 


66  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

advocate :  all  the  good  shots  I  ever  met  with,  put 
their  left  hand  forward  in  advance  of  the  guard,  as 
shown  in  the  frontispiece ;  and  such  is  the  safer  and 
better  position. 

A  young  sportsman  always  profits  by  going  out 
with  a  good  steady  old  shot,  and  learns  more  in  a 
week,  of  the  art  of  finding  and  approaching  his  game, 
than  he  would  in  a  year  with  a  bad  shot. 

Young  sportsmen  must  not  be  vexed  or  disheart- 
ened at  missing ;  generally  speaking  the  reason  why 
they  miss  is,  because  they  shoot  both  behind  and  be- 
low the  bird ;  the  result  of  the  trigger-finger  not  being 
quick  enough  in  obeying  the  eye. 

When  you  miss,  always  endeavor  to  ascertain  the 
cause ;  and  having  discovered  it,  resolutely  deter- 
mine to  profit  by  the  experience  gained,  and  sooner 
or  later  you  will  probably  become  a  dead  shot. 

Young  sportsmen  should  always  prefer  old  dogs  to 
young  ones ;  and  the  less  they  talk  to  them  the  better 
they  will  hunt. 

Don't  "  fluster"  on  going  up  to  a  dog  at  his  point : 
if  you  do  you  must  not  expect  to  kill. 

Never  condescend  to  trespass  or  poach,  nor  poke 
your  gun  through  a  hedge,  nor  shoot  birds  on  the 
ground. 


RUDIMENTARY   LESSONS.  6  7 

Never  pick  up  a  shot  bird,  nor  allow  your  dogs  or 
attendant  to  do  so,  until  you  have  re-loaded.  And 
when  in  company  with  another  sportsman,  if  he  fires 
and  kills  a  bird,  halt  immediately,  and  do  not  ad- 
vance a  step  until  he  has  re-loaded. 

Two  sportsmen  shooting  in  company  should  each, 
in  general,  fire  only  at  those  birds  the  heads  of 
which  are  pointed  to  that  side  of  the  beat  on  which 
he  walks :  at  birds  going  straight  away,  each  sports- 
man should  take  the  best  outside  shot  on  his  partic- 
ular side. 

Single  birds,  on  getting  up  fairly  in  front  of  both 
sportsmen,  should  be  taken  alternately.  But  when  a 
single  bird  rises  in  front  of  any  individual  sportsman, 
apart  from  his  comjianion,  the  shot  belongs  exclu- 
sively to  him  on  whose  side  the  bird  rose. 

Tlie  necessity  of  observing  strict  silence  Avhen  beat- 
ing for  partridges  or  grouse,  cannot  be  too  strictly 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  young  sportsmen.  The 
human  voice,  whether  addressed  to  your  companion 
or  your  dog,  is  sure  to  alarm  the  birds,  if  near  enough 
to  hear  it. 

Young  sportsmett  must  not  forget  that  birds  have 
ears  as  well  as  eyes. 

It  is  an  indisputable  fact,  that  thousands  of  young 


68  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

sportsmen  who  so  frequently  miss  the  flying  objects 
of  their  aim,  do  so  through  shooting  below  them. 
They  are  unable  to  give  the  reason  themselves  ;  where- 
as it  is  so  clear,  that  reflection  alone  would  tell  them 
the  fact :  gravity  is  always  acting  upon  the  shot,  and 
drawing  it  to  the  ground  in  its  trajectory  course 
through  the  air ;  consequently  the  body  of  it  strikes 
below  the  horizontal  line  of  the  sportsman's  aim. 

Good  shooting  is  sure  to  follow,  if  the  young  sports- 
man will  only  aim  in  advance  of  flying  cross-shots, 
and  above  straightforward  ones.  There  is  no  fear 
of  young  sportsmen  shooting  too  high  or  too  far  in 
front ;  they  are  always  too  low  and  too  point-blank 
in  their  early  practice. 

Young  sportsmen  should  be  careful  to  carry  the 
gun  at  all  times  in  a  safe  position ;  particularly  when 
walking  or  taking  the  field  with  another  sportsman. 
I  know  nothing  more  detrimental  to  good  shooting 
than  to  find  the  muzzle  of  your  friend's  double-barrel 
constantly  staring  at  you  whenever  you  are  walking 
on  a  level  with  him,  or  happen  to  turn  your  head  to 
look  after  him.  An  old  sportsman,  on  noticing  a 
carelessness  of  the  sort,  would  return  home  and  refuse 
to  go  out  with  a  man  who  carried  the  muzzle  of  ftis 
gun  so  low  as  to  be  always  pointing  toward  his  person. 


RUDIMENTAR'S'  LESSONS.  69 

In  cocking  or  uncocking  your  gun,  always  keep 
the  muzzle  pointing  in  the  air  above  the  level  of 
human  heads. 

On  getting  over  a  fence,  grasp  the  gun  in  the  left 
hand  round  the  barrels,  above  the  hammer  and 
breech ;  the  right  hand  being  quite  at  liberty  to  lay 
hold  of  a  bough  or  stake  to  assist  you  in  climbing. 

Young  sportsmen,  in  general,  reckon  too  much  on 
their  s^Dort,  and  anticipate  an  unreasonable  amount 
of  success;  they  are,  consequently,  very  often  dis- 
appointed, especially  grouse  shooters  :  but  this  arises 
from  the  fabulous  reports  of  large  packs  of  grouse  to 
which  the  tyro  is  to  be  introduced ;  so  that  nothing 
short  of  unprecedented  success  would  fully  realize  his 
exj)ectations.  Such  reports,  as  well  as  others  (equally 
untrue)  as  to  the  astonishing  numbers  killed,  generally 
proceed  from  those  interested  in  the  moors ;  or  who 
have  an  ulterior  or  lurking  design  upon  the  purse  of 
the  English  sportsman.  These  individuals,  who  re- 
side chiefly  beyond  the  banks  of  the  Tweed,  appear 
to  utter  falsehoods  as  if  under  the  protection  of  a 
license.     Let  sportsmen  beware  of  such  characters. 

The  young  sportsman's  expectations  on  entering 
upon  the  shooting  season,  or  a  day's  sport,  should  be 
moderate,  never  too  sanguine ;  and  then,  if  ill-success 


70  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

attends  him,  he  will  be  the  better  able  to  bear  the 
disappointment  without  disturbing  his  nerves  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  cause  him  to  miss  his  shots  at  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  day. 

Above  all  things,  guard  against  a  feeling  of  envy  at 
the  better  success  of  your  companion. 

Three  or  four  sportsmen  in  a  party,  are  too  many 
for  sport ;  they  should  divide  into  two  parties,  and 
go  on  separate  beats,  by  which  arrangement  they  will 
bag  more  game,  and  incur  less  danger  to  themselves. 

When  a  covey  of  partridges  or  a  brood  of  grouse 
rises  at  your  feet,  do  not  i^ut  the  gun  to  your  shoul- 
der immediately,'  and  so  keep  aiming  until  they  are 
forty  yards  off:  a  protracted  aim  is  the  cause  of  many 
a  miss :  rather  look  at  the  birds  an  instant,  select  one 
as  your  mark,  and  then  deliberately  level  the  gun  and 
down  with  it :  then  instantly  choose  another  for  the 
other  barrel ;  and  being  equally  steady  and  accurate, 
you  will  drop  that  also. 

In  order  to  bag  your  game  you  must  either  hit  it 
in  a  vital  part  or  break  a  wing ;  and  then  it  is  either 
your  own  fault  or  that  of  your  dog,  if  it  is  not 
brought  to  bag. 


ERFOES   OP  YOUNG   SPORTSMEN.  7l 


ERRORS  OP  YOUNG  SPORTSMEN. 

The  reasons  why  young  sportsmen  miss  fair  shots 
have  never  been  fully  discussed,  nor  have  any  direct 
rules  been  laid  down  by  which  to  ensure  their  hitting 
the  object,  at  all  times,  w^hen  within  range.  The  in- 
considerate assert,  that  there  are  no  rules  which  can 
be  of  any  assistance  to  a  student  of  the  art  of  shoot- 
ing flying  objects.  They  might  as  well  say  the  same 
of  rifle  practice,  and  naval  and  military  gunnery; 
whereas  in  truth  there  are  rudiments  and  aphorisms 
in  the  art  of  accurate  shooting,  which  require  as  care- 
ful study  and  observance  by  the  successful  shot,  as  do 
the  rules  and  principles  applicable  to  any  other  art. 

There  are  many  practitioners  who  sometimes  kill, 
though  they  often  miss  ;  but  there  are  not  many  real 
proficients  in  the  art ;  and  few  are  enabled  to  explain 
the  causes  of  missing,  or  to  boast  of  being  certain  of 
hitting  a  flying  bird  at  any  distance  within  range,  and 
in  any  line  of  flight. 

The  oldest  and  most  highly  reputed  shots,  though 
they  shoot  and  kill,  sometimes  miss  without  being 
able  to  explain  the  reason  ;  and  often  attribute  it  to 
the  reverse  of  what  it  actually  is. 


Y2  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

I  shall,  therefore,  endeavor  to  explain  the  princi- 
pal causes  of  the  young  sportsman  missing  the  flying 
object  of  his  aim,  and  point  out  the  fundamental  rules 
of  the  art  of  accurate  shooting. 

A  very  great  deal  of  the  evil  lies  in  the  unequal 
length,  breadth,  or  form  of  the  gun-stock.  Much 
more  depends  on  this  than  many  sportsmen  are  dis- 
posed to  believe :  indeed,  more  bad  shooting  arises 
from  a  disproportionately  mounted  gun  than  from 
any  other  cause.  The  length  of  the  stock  should  be 
proportionate  with  the  length  of  the  sportsman's 
neck,  and  the  reach  of  his  arms.  Gunmakers,  in  gen- 
eral, do  not  pay  sufficient  regard  to  these  important 
minutiae ;  but,  disregarding  the  length  of  arms  and 
neck  of  their  customers,  tall  and  short,  fat  and  thin, 
long-necked  and  short-necked  individuals,  one  and  all 
have  the  same  or  indifferent  lengths  of  gun-stocks. 
This,  then,  is  a  defect  of  much  more  importance  to 
the  young  sportsman  than  many  would  suppose. 
Rifles,  in  particular,  should  have  stocks  of  a  length 
and  bend  to  suit  exactly  thQ  neck  and  arms  of  the  man 
who  uses  them. 

If  the  stock  of  a  gun  is  too  short,  it  is  difficult  to 
get  it  to  the  shoulder  in  correct  position ;  and  it  is 
still  more  difficult  to  hold  it  firmly  and  steadily  at 


ERRORS  OF  YOUNG  SPORTSMEN. 


73 


the  shoulder  so  as  to  shoot  accurately  at  a  quickly 
moving  object.  . 

Aud  if  too  loDg,  the  difficulty  of  getting  it  up  in- 
stantly into  exact  position  is  increased ;  and  it  is  then 
very  troublesome  to  take  a  faithful  aim,  the  arms 
being  of  necessity  too  far  extended  to  be  in  an  easy 
position ;  and  the  neck  has  to  be  stretched  painfully, 
to  bring  the  eye  in  line  with  the  barrel. 

A  change  of  guns  from  day  to  day,  from  a  stiff  or 
hard-pulling  trigger  to  an  easy-going  one,  may  cause 
the  best  shot  to  miss,  unless  he  can  constantly  remem- 
ber whether  he  has  the  stiff-going  lock  or  the  easy 
one.  The  stock  of  one  gun  may  be  longer  than  the 
other,  or  the  barrels  heavier ;  these,  though  apparent- 
ly trifling  circumstances,  are  sufficient  to  be  the  cause 
of  missing,  in  a  man  accustomed  to  a  favorite  or 
particular  sort  of  gun  which  exactly  suits  him. 

Missing  fair  shots  does  not  arise  so  much  through 
an  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  use  of  the  gun,  as 
from  a  want  of  confidence ;  or  through  fatigue,  anx- 
iety, or  some  such  effect  on  the  nei-vous  system; 
though  it  more  frequently  arises  from  the  causes  before 
stated. 

Young  sportsmen  miss  more  birds  by  shooting 
under  them  than  by  any  other  error :  they  will  not 


74  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

shoot  high  enough ;  because  they  forget  the  very  ru- 
diments of  the  art,  and  that  gravitation  is  acting  upon 
their  shot  all  the  way  in  its  passage  through  the  air. 
By  aiming  point  hlank  at  the  object,  the  shot  must, 
as  a  natural  result,  strike  below  it.  In  proof  of  this, 
let  a  sportsman  aim  point  blank  at  a  fixed  object, 
forty  yards  off;  and  unless  the  gun  has  an  elevated 
rib,  the  shot  will  be  found  to  have  struck  below  the 
aim ;  and  if  this  be  so  at  a  fixed  object,  the  shot  must 
of  necessity  go  very  much  farther  beneath  a  rising  or 
flying  one.  And  when  it  is  taken  into  consideration 
that  all  birds  of  game  generally  continue  rising  (except 
when  flushed  on  a  hill)  whilst  within  reach  of  the 
sportsman^s  gun,  this  may  be  stated  as  one  of  the 
principal  and  indisputable  reasons  why  young  sports- 
men miss. 

Pheasants,  for  instance,  gain  fifteen  or  eighteen 
inches  in  altitude,  between  the  time  of  pulling  trigger 
and  that  of  the  shot  reaching  forty  yards.  And  par- 
tridges often  quite  as  much ;  therefore  the  centre  of 
the  charge  is  too  frequently  thrown  under  the  visual 
line  of  aim,  by  reason  alone  that  the  sportsman  makes 
not  sufiicient  allowance  for  the  ascending  motion  of 
the  bird  in  its  flight  from,  or  across  his  aim. 

The  young    sportsman  should    never   expect    or 


ANECDOTE. 


75 


think  of  killing,  if,  at  the  time  of  pulling  trigger,  he 
sees  the  bird  on  wing  above  the  muzzle  of  the  gun. 
Some  guns,  however,  are  specially  sighted  and  con- 
structed for  throwing  the  shot  nearly  two  feet  above 
the  aim  at  forty  yards :  this  may  be  done  by  a  very 
thick  rib,  high  at  the  breech-end  of  the  barrels,  and 
tapering  to  nothing  at  the  muzzle. 

There  are  but  few  sportsmen  in  whom  the  fault  of 
missing  lies  in  their  shooting  too  high  or  too  forward : 
it  is  almost  always  the  contrary. 

It  is  astonishing  how  stubborn  young  sportsmen 
are  to  believe  in  the  principle,  that  it  is  necessary  to 
fire  in  advance  of  a  distant  flying  object  for  the  pur- 
pose of  killing  it :  they  persist  in  the  foohsh  notion 
that  almost  on  the  instant  of  pulling  trigger,  the  shot 
reaches  the  object  aimed  at.  Many  years  ago  I  was 
one  among  that  stubborn  class,  until  convinced  of  my 
error  in  a  simple  but  somewhat  extraordinary  man- 
ner ;  which  I  relate  for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring 
to  impress  upon  my  readers  the  importance  of  this 
fundamental  princi^ile.  I  was  out  shooting  one  day, 
in  the  month  of  October,  in  a  large  turnip-field,  with 
my  dogs  and  gun,  when  a  brace  of  partridges  rose 
at  the  distance  of  fifty-five  or  sixty  yards  :  they  flew 
rapidly  to  the  right,  in  du'ect  line,  one  behind  the 


"76  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

Other,  at  a  space  of  about  t\YO  feet  apart.  I  took 
deliberate  aim  a  few  inches  in  advance  of  the  leading 
bird,  and  fired ;  when,  to  my  surprise,  the  hindmost 
bird  fell  dead,  and  the  leading  one,  which  was  the 
object  of  my  aim,  flew  untouched.  At  the  moment 
I  felt  so  astonished  at  the  result,  that  I  could  not 
recover  myself  soon  enough  to  discharge  the  other 
barrel  at  the  bird  which  had  flown  away.  On  pick- 
ing up  my  bird,  I  found  five  shots  had  struck  it  in  the 
head  and  neck :  so  that  my  aim,  which  was  at  least 
two  feet  six  inches  in  advance  of  the  bird  killed, 
was  not  any  too  much  at  the  distance  and  rate  at 
which  they  were  flying.  I  felt  so  forcibly  the  erro- 
neous principle  upon  which  I  had  hitherto  been  shoot- 
ing, and  so  dehghted  at  the  lucky  but  accidental 
discovery  I  had  made  of  my  own  error,  that  I  felt  as 
if  a  curtain  had  risen  before  me,  and  exjDosed  the 
true  secrets  of  the  art  of  killing  cross  shots.  And  I 
can  truly  assert,  that  this  simple  but  singular  discov- 
ery, did  more  towards  improving  me  in  the  art  of 
shooting,  than  all  the  advice  and  instruction  I  had 
received  from  practical  and  venerable  sportsmen. 
Some  of  my  sporting  friends,  shortly  afterwards,  on 
congratulating  me  on  a  "  very  sudden  and  wonderful 
improvement  in  my  shooting  at  long  ranges,"  inquir- 


PRESSING   VS.    PULLIXG   TRIGGER.  19 

vation,  they  would,  on  reflection,  see  the  necessity  of 
making  the  suggested  allowances  for  gravitation  at 
long  shots. 


PRESSING  VERSUS  PULLING  TRIGGER. 

Professors  of  musketry  tell  us  they  never  pull  a 
trigger,  but  press  it ;  and  if  that  doctrine  applies  to 
rifle  practice,  surely  it  does  also,  with  equal  force,  to 
gun-practice. 

On  reference  to  English  dictionaries,  I  find  "  to 
pull"  means  to  "  draw  violently,  or  forcibly ;"  and  cer- 
tainly no  such  violent  or  forcible  means  are  required 
in  putting  the  trigger  of  a  gun  in  motion.  I  am 
therefore  disposed  to  agree  with  the  professors  of 
musketry,  that  the  terra  "  pulling"  is  erroneous  and 
inapplicable,  with  reference  to  the  discharge  of  the 
rifle  or  the  gun. 

Certain  it  is,  that  he  who  can  discharge  his  piece 
with  the  least  possible  motion  of  the  hand,  stands  the 
best  chance  of  hitting  his  mark. 

In  discharging  the  gun,  the  finger  alone  should  act 
on  the  trigger ;  the  hand  is  required  for  holding  the 
gun  firmly  to  the  shoulder. 


80  TrtE   DEAD    SHOT. 


GRAYITATION. 


It  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  become  a  dead  shot 
until  he  is  familiar  Avith  the  laws  of  gravitation. 
Simple  and  natural  as  those  laws  will  appear  on  ex- 
planation and  reflection,  there  are  thousands  of  sports- 
men who  have  erroneous  ideas  upon  them.  I  have 
often  been  astonished  at  the  ignorance  in  which  I  have 
found  experienced  sportsmen,  on  discussing  the  subject 
with  them. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying, — if  a  man  ever 
hopes  or  expects  to  shoot  well,  he  must  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  gravita- 
tion :  he  must  remember  that  all  material  substances, 
on  being  forced  through  the  air  unsupported,  incline 
towards  the  earth  ;  that  is,  keep  dropping  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  ground  as  they  proceed  through  the 
atmosphere.  So  iilso  with  shot,  as  it  passes  through 
the  air,  forcibly  expelled  by  gunpowder  ;  and 
whether  slowly  or  swiftly,  it  is  influenced  by  the 
laws  of  gravitation,  from  the  moment  of  its  expulsion 
from  the  barrel,  until  its  horizontal  force  is  exhausted 
and  it  falls  to  the  ground.  The  trajectory  course  of 
the  shot  is  curvilinear ;  consequently,  if  a  straight 


GEAVITATION. 


81 


barrel,  of  the  same  substance  throughout,  that  is  to 
say,  as  thick  at  the  muzzle  as  it  is  at  the  breech,  were 
fired  in  exact  horizontal  line  with  a  distant  object, 
the  shot  would  strike  considerably  below  it. 

The  reason  why  many  young  sportsmen  kill  flying 
objects  with  tolerable  certainty  when  wuthin  short 
range,  and  miss  those  at  long  range,  is  because  they 
always  fire  point  blank  at  every  thing,  regardless  of 
distance  and  other  important  considerations.  When 
they  kill,  the  objects  are  in  fact  so  near  that  there  is 
no  perceptible  declination  of  the  shot,  or  not  sufiicient 
for  the  bird  to  escape  all  the  strong  shot;  whereas, 
on  the  other  hand,  by  taking  the  same  point  blank 
aim  at  more  distant  objects,  they  are  missed  through 
not  allowing  for  declination,  or  gravity  of  the  shot, 
and  speed  of  the  flying  bird. 

It  is  calculated  that  at  forty  yards  the  gravitation 
of  the  shot  is  four  inches,  and  at  sixty  yards  eight 
inches. 

At  the  moment  of  taking  aim,  and  levelling  the  gun 

point  blank  at  the  bird,  the  visual  line  is  right,  if  the 

shot  could  be  conveyed  to  the  object  instantaneously, 

and  without  being  affected  by  the  laws  of  gravitation. 

But  such  a  thing  is  impossible,  because,  in  addition  to 

the  declination  of  the  shot,   the  trigger  has  to  be 
4* 


82  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

pressed,  and  the  shot  has  to  travel  the  whole  distance 
through  the  air  between  the  gun  and  the  bird  ;  during 
which,  the  bird  is  all  the  while  gradually  rising,  and 
the  shot  gradually  falling ;  so  that,  by  the  time  the 
shot  reaches  the  end  of  the  supposed  visual  line  of 
aim,  the  distance  below  the  object  aimed  at,  and  the 
hitting  place  of  the  shot,  is  several  inches  ;  and  thus 
it  is,  through  neglecting  to  consider  carefully  these 
simple  principles,  that  young  sportsmen  shoot  at  fly- 
ing objects  and  miss  them. 

It  will,  therefore,  be  seen  that  in  taking  aim  at  a 
flying  object,  the  gun  should  not  be  held  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  visual  line  is  upon  a  level  with  the 
bird :  but,  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  tendency 
of  the  shot  to  fall  to  the  ground,  for  the  rapid  motion 
of  the  bird,  and  for  the  time  which  must  elapse  be- 
tween pressing  trigger  and  the  shot  hitting  or  reach- 
ing the  object ;  consequently,  the  visual  line  of  aim 
should  be  both  above  and  in  advance  of  the  flying 
object,  more  or  less,  according  to  long  or  short  range  ; 
the  one  to  allow  for  gravitation  of  the  shot,  and  the 
other  for  the  space  which  the  bird  advances  between 
the  time  the  aim  is  taken,  and  the  precise  moment  of 
the  shot  hitting  it. 


KANG 


83 


DEFLECTION. 

By  practising  at  a  target  in  windy  weather,  tlie 
sportsman  will  soon  learn  the  theory  of  deflection. 
Of  course,  the  subject  more  materially  affects  rifle- 
practice  ;  nevertheless,  it  is  also  an  element  for  con- 
sideration in  the  art  of  shooting  flying  objects.  The 
sportsman  should  place  the  target  in  an  open  field,  so 
that  the  wind  blows  across  or  to  right  or  left  as  he 
faces  the  target. 

Qn  firing  at  the  various  distances  of  thirty,  forty, 
fifty,  and  sixty  yards,  he  will  be  astonished  at  the 
deflection  of  the  shot  through  the  force  of  the  wind  ; 
and  will  find  his  charge  driven  considerably  to  lee- 
ward. 

By  neglecting  to  make  due  allowance  for  deflec- 
tion when  shooting  in  strong  winds,  it  is  impossible 
to  kill  at  long  ranges. 


RANGE. 


Range  is  the  rock  upon  which  many  sportsmen 
wreck  their  best  chances,  the  eye  being  the  only 
guide  on  which  to  rely  when  out  in  the  field ;   and 


84  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

the  judgment  must  be  formed  instantly  on  a  bird,  ris- 
ing, as  to  whether  or  no  it  is  within  range :  and  when 
it  is  within,  the  sportsman  must  be  able  to  measure 
with  his  eye,  and  that  only,  the  most  certain  or  killing 
distance  at  which  to  fire.  This  may  appear  difficult ; 
and,  to  a  young  sportsman,  it  is  truly  the  greatest 
stumbling-block  he  encounters ;  as  he  frequently 
omits  to  fire  at  objects  within  the  best  and  most 
beautiful  range,  through  fancying  them  out  of  his 
reach  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he  sometimes  fires  at 
objects  far  beyond  the  range  of  his  gun. 

It  will  therefore  be  asked,  how  is  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  subject  to  be  obtained  ?~  I  answer,  by 
practice  at  measured  distances ;  and  by  often  meas- 
uring, when  out  in  the  field,  the  distance  at  which  he 
shot  and  killed  or  missed.  This  may  be  done  with 
very  little  trouble,  and  will  well  repay  attention  ;  the 
young  sportsman  has  only  to  provide  himself  with  a 
tape,  having  the  distances  marked  thereon  in  ink, 
from  twenty  yards  up  to  sixty.  The  useful  experi- 
ence he  will  gain  by  this  simple  expedient  is  great 
and  invaluable. 

Unless  a  sportsman  takes  the  trouble  to  measure 
distances  and  try  experiments  of  the  kind  suggested 
it  is  probable  he  will  remain  in   ignorance  until  he 


THE  DEADLY  RANGES. 


85 


loses  his  money  by  a  bet  with  a  sporting  companion, 
who  convinces  him  of  his  error  by  actual  measure- 
ment. 

Good  shots  are  invariably  good  and  accurate 
judges  of  distances  ;  and  can  measure,  with  the  eye 
alone,  a  forty  or  fifty  yards'  range  with  astonishing 
skill. 

Sportsmen  will  find  it  much  easier  to  guess  dis- 
tances in  small  enclosures,  and  among  high  hedges 

and  trees,  than  in  large  fields  and  expansive  moors. 

» 
In  mountainous  districts,  sportsmen  frequently  make 

mistakes  in  regard  to  distances;   particularly  those 

who  have  been  accustomed  to  level  country. 

In  Scotland,  too,  the  mists  which   are  sometimes 

prevalent  on  the  moors,  render  it  extremely  difficult 

to  judge  with  accuracy  as  to  distances. 


THE  THREE  DEADLY  RANGES. 

There  are  three  deadly  ranges  for  the  gun  ;  viz., 
point-blank  range,  short  range,  and  long  range. 

Point-blank  range  is  that  at  which  you  fire  without 
making  any  allowance  in  your  aim  for  the  motion  of 
the  bird  or  other  object,  or  for  gravitation  or  deflec- 
tion of  the  shot. 


86  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

Point-blank  range  can  seldom  be  relied  on  at  flying 
objects,  beyond  the  distance  of  twenty-five  yards. 

Short  range  is  beyond  point-blank  range,  but  less 
than  long  range :  it  is  that  distance  at  which,  with 
judicious  aim,  an  object  maybe  killed  with  certainty ; 
and  may  be  said  to  be  any  distance  between  twenty- 
five  and  forty  yards. 

It  is  also  sometimes  called  ordinary  range,  deadly 
range,  and  certain  range. 

Long  range,  though  one  of  the  three  deadly  ranges, 
is  a  distance  beyond  that  at  which  a  good  ^hot  is  cer- 
tain to  kill,  though  his  aim  be  ever  so  accurate  : 
therefore  any  distance  beyond  forty  yards  is  termed 
long  range. 

All  shots  which  are  doubtful,  because  of  the  long 
distances  at  which  they  are  fired,  though  not  actually 
out  of  range,  are  at  long  range.  The  terms  doubtful 
range,  and  uncertain  range,  are  sometimes  applied  in- 
stead of  the  term  long  range. 

With  judicious  loading,  and  a  regard  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  deadly  range,  a  partridge  may  be  killed  with 
certainty  at  forty  yards  ;  but  not  always  with  an  over 
or  under  charge  of  either  powder  or  shot,  because  of 
the  uncertain  and  irregular  spread  of  the  shot,  when 
the  gun  is  disproportionately  loaded. 


THE    DEADLY   EANGES. 


87 


The  chances  are  three  to  one  that  a  good  shot  Avill 
kill  at  any  distance  up  to  fifty  yards  ;  he  is  certain  at 
forty,  if  he  takes  pains  to  do  his  work  well.  With  an 
extraordinary  sharp-shooting  gun  he  will  kill  up  to 
fifty-five  or  sixty  yards,  but  not  always  ;  though  if  a 
perfect  master  of  the  art  of  shooting  flying  objects, 
he  may  kill  two  out  of  four  at  those  distances  ;  but 
not  with  an  ordinary  gun. 

Partridges  may  sometimes  be  killed  at  seventy  and 
even  eighty  yards,  but  never  with  certainty :  no,  not 
by  the  best  shot  in  England,  with  an  ordinary  gun 
and  loose  charge ;  because  no  small  gun  will  throw 
shot  compact  enough  to  make  sure  of  touching  a  vi- 
tal part  in  so  small  an  object,  at  those  distances. 
Forty  to  fifty  yards  are  the  very  outside  at  which 
certainty  exists.  A  "  dead  shot,"  or  any  one  who 
fires  at  birds  beyond  those  distances,  cannot  be  cer- 
tain of  killing.  One  or  two  grains  of  shot  would 
probably  be  all  that  struck  the  bird  ;  and  that  is  not 
sufficient  to  bring  it  down,  unless  hit  in  a  vital  part, 
or  a  wing-bone  be  broken.  A  bird  possesses  few 
parts  that  are  actually  vital ;  and  a  partridge  or 
grouse  is  a  small  object  when  its  feathers  are 
plucked  off*.  Sportsmen  who  fire  at  long  ranges 
should  not  forget  these  facts. 


88  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

It  is  wanton  and  cruel  mischief  to  shoot  at  unrea- 
sonable distances,  with  no  possibility  of  killing  :  be- 
sides too,  it  disturbs  the  game  uselessly,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  wounding  it  in  an  unsportsmanlike  manner. 


STRAIGHT-FORWARD  SHOTS. 

"  But  when  the  bird  flies  from  you  in  a  line, 
"With  little  care,  I  may  pronounce  her  thine." 

Markland. 

These  are  the  easiest  of  all  flying  shots  ;  and  those 
which  the  young  sportsman  first  succeeds  in.  At  a 
bird  flying  straight  away  from  the  sportsman,  his 
aim  should  be  the  top  of  the  back  of  the  bird,  if 
within  twenty  or  thirty  yards ;  and  just  above  the 
back,  if  beyond  that  distance. 

From  forty  to  fifty  yards  is  the  extreme  distance 
at  Avhich  a  partridge  or  grouse  can  be  killed  when 
flying  rapidly  in  direct  line  from  the  shooter. 

They  may  be  wounded  in  the  rump  at  a  farther 
distance,  but  are  not  likely  to  be  hit  in  a  vital  part : 
consequently,  though  wounded,  they  do  not  fall 
dead. 


CROSS    SHOTS, 


89 


CROSS  SHOTS. 

When  a  bird  crosses  to  right  or  left  of  the  sports- 
man, within  thirty  yards,  his  aim  should  be  at  the 
head,  if  flying  steadily ;  but  if  flying  swiftly,  an  inch 
or  more  in  advance  of  the  head ;  if  forty  yards,  five, 
six,  or  eight  inches ;  and  so,  more  or  less  in  advance 
according  to  rate  of  flight  and  distance. 

If  a  bird  crosses  very  swiftly  at  right  angles,  sixty 
or  seventy  yards  from  you,  in  order  to  kill  it  you 
must  not  only  aim  one,  two,  or  three  feet  in  advance 
of  its  head,  but  also  two  or  three  inches  above  it. 

If  the  bird  crosses  to  the  right,  throw  your  head 
over  the  gun,  and  shoot  well  in  advance. 

Among  cross  shots  may  be  included  rectilineal, 
oblique,  acute,  and  obtuse  angular  fflghts;  also  trans- 
verse and  curved  lines  of  flight,  with  some  others ; 
all  of  which  require  a  due  allowance  according  to 
velocity,  and  the  acute  or  obtuse  nature  of  the  angle 
or  lineal  direction  of  the  flying  object. 

Xever  refuse  a  cross  shot,  though  it  be  fifty  or 
even'  sixty  yards  olf.  Cross  shots  may  be  killed  at 
much  greater  distances  than  straight-away  ones,  for 
two  reasons :  one,  because  the  more  vulnerable  part 


90  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

of  the  bird  or  animal  is  exposed  to  the  fire ;  and  the 
other,  because  the  shot  strikes  with  much  greater 
force  at  a  crossing  object,  than  at  one  flying  in  the 
same  direction  as  the  shot. 

When  a  bird  crosses  to  the  left,  step  forward  with 
the  right  foot ;  and  vice  versa  if  it  crosses  to  the  right. 
The  reason  for  this  suggestion  is  very  clear :  if  the 
right  foot  be  first  when  the  bird  is  crossing  to  the 
right,  it  is  very  difiicult  to  bring  the  gun  round  far 
enough  without  turning  the  body ;  and  the  necessary 
turn  may  be  instantly  dispensed  with,  by  bringing 
the  left  foot  forward. 

When  a  bird  rises  very  close,  be  in  no  hurry  to 
level  the  gun  :  it  is  the  protracted  levelling  that  of- 
ten causes  young  sportsmen  to  miss ;  the  hand 
becomes  unsteady  through  it,  and  the  eye  is  less  to 
be  depended  on. 


DESCENDING  SHOTS. 

When  a  bird  is  flushed  on  a  hill,  its  flight  is  almost 
certain  to  be  in  a  descending  direction ;  the  aim  in 
such  case  must  therefore  be  both  low  and  m  advance 
of  the  bird,  when  crossing  to  right  or  left ;  and  when 
the  direction  of  its  flight  is  in  a  straight  line,  descend- 


PEEPEXDICULAR   SHOTS. 


91 


ing  from  tlie  sportsman,  the  aim  should  be  at  the  legs 
of  the  bird,  if  within  thirty  or  forty  yards ;  and 
below  the  legs  if  beyond  that  distance. 

The  yonng  sportsman  should  also  bear  in  mind, 
that  when  a  bird  approaches  a  high  hedge  it  rises  in 
flight;  and  immediately  on  clearing  the  fence  it 
descends. 

These  minutiae,  though  seemingly  of  trifling  im- 
portance, are  highly  essential  considerations  for  the 
aspirant  to  good  shooting ;  and  should  never  be  lost 
sight  of  in  the  field. 


PERPENDICULAR   SHOTS. 

"  Wheu  a  bird  comes  directly  in  your  face, 
Contain  your  fire  awhile,  and  let  her  pass, 
Unless  some  trees  behind  you  change  the  case ; 
If  so,  a  little  space  above  her  head 
Advance  the  muzzle,  and  you  strike  her  dead." 

Markland. 

Many  sportsmen,  who  in  all  other  respects  are 
good  shots,  almost  invariably  miss  a  bird  flying .  di- 
rectly overhead,  particularly  if  it  be  in  rapid  flight, 
or  going  down- wind. 

A  great  deal  must  depend  on  the  altitude  at  which 
the  bird  is  flying;  but  in  general,  these  shots  are 


90  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

of  the  bird  or  animal  is  exposed  to  the  fire ;  and  the 
other,  because  the  shot  strikes  with  much  greater 
force  at  a  crossing  object,  than  at  one  flying  in  the 
same  direction  as  the  shot. 

When  a  bird  crosses  to  the  left,  step  forward  with 
the  right  foot ;  and  vice  versa  if  it  crosses  to  the  right. 
The  reason  for  this  suggestion  is  very  clear :  if  the 
right  foot  be  first  when  the  bird  is  crossing  to  the 
right,  it  is  very  difficult  to  bring  the  gun  round  far 
enough  without  turning  the  body  ;  and  the  necessary 
turn  may  be  instantly  dispensed  with,  by  bringing 
the  left  foot  forward. 

When  a  bird  rises  very  close,  be  in  no  hurry  to 
level  the  gun  :  it  is  the  protracted  levelling  that  of- 
ten causes  young  sportsmen  to  miss;  the  hand 
becomes  unsteady  through  it,  and  the  eye  is  less  to 
be  depended  on. 


DESCENDING  SHOTS. 

When  a  bird  is  flushed  on  a  hill,  its  flight  is  almost 
certain  to  be  in  a  descending  direction ;  the  aim  in 
such  case  must  therefore  be  both  low  and  in  advance 
of  the  bird,  when  crossing  to  right  or  left ;  and  when 
the  direction  of  its  flight  is  in  a  straight  line,  descend- 


PERPENDICULAR    SHOTS.  91 

ing  from  the  sportsman,  the  aim  should  be  at  the  legs 
of  the  bird,  if  within  thirty  or  forty  yards ;  and 
below  the  legs  if  beyond  that  distance. 

The  young  sportsman  should  also  bear  in  mind, 
that  when  a  bird  approaches  a  high  hedge  it  rises  in 
flight;  and  immediately  on  clearing  the  fence  it 
descends. 

These  minutiae,  though  seemingly  of  trifling  im- 
portance, are  highly  essential  considerations  for  the 
aspirant  to  good  shooting ;  and  should  never  be  lost 
siofht  of  in  the  field. 


PERPENDICULAR   SHOTS. 

"  Wheu  a  bird  comes  directly  in  your  face, 
Contain  your  fire  awhile,  and  let  her  pass, 
Unless  some  trees  behind  you  change  the  case ; 
If  so,  a  little  space  above  her  head 
Advance  the  muzzle,  and  you  strike  her  dead." 

Markland. 

Many  sportsmen,  who  in  all  other  respects  are 
good  shots,  almost  invariably  miss  a  bird  flying  di- 
rectly overhead,  particularly  if  it  be  in  rapid  flight, 
or  going  down-wind. 

A  great  deal  must  depend  on  the  altitude  at  which 
the  bird  is  flying;  but  in  general,  these  shots  are 


THE   DEAD    SHOT. 


missed  through  firing  too  soon,  or  too  late  :  the  one 
as  the  bird  approaches,  the  other  after  it  passed 
overhead.  If  sportsman  could  only  consider  and 
practice  a  few  j^erpendicular  shots,  they  would  find 
none  are  easier :  there  is  plenty  of  time  for  delibera- 
tion when  the  bird  is  seen  approaching.  The  instant 
it  comes  nearly  over  your  head,  lean  back,  take  a 
good  aim,  and  fire  several  inches  in  front,  according 
to  the  speed  or  rate  of  its  flight,  and  you  are  certain 
to  kill :  whereas,  by  firing  at  the  breast  as  the  bird 
approaches,  if  your  shot  strike,  they  probably  glide 
ofi'the  feathers  without  penetration  through  the  skin  : 
and  by  waiting  until  the  bird  has  passed,  you  lose 
your  very  best  chance  ;  because,  independently  of 
the  greater  accuracy  of  aim,  you  lose  the  additional 
effect  produced  by  the  bird  being  at  an  acute  angle 
with  the  shot.  By  shooting  perpendicularly,  you 
have  also  the  chance  of  a  second  shot  in  the  event  of 
missing  the  first. 

One  caution  is  necessary  in  regard  to  perpendicular 
shots :  the  gun  should  be  placed  to  the  shoulder  as  if 
for  a  horizontal  shot,  and  the  sportsman  should  lean 
well  back.  If  the  heel  of  the  gun  be  erroneously  placed 
on  the  top  of  the  shoulder,  and  so  fired  perpendicu- 
larly, it  will  inevitably  break  the   collar-bone.     The 


WIPING   THE   EYE.  93 

author  of  "  The  Wild-Fowler  "  warns  his  readers  as 
to  this  danger,  in  the  following  words:  "A  small 
gun,  loaded  with  only  two  drachms  of  powder,  will 
break  a  man's  collar-bone  if  fired  straight  up  in  the 
air  from  his  shoulder — the  man  standing  upon  hard 
ground.  Accidents  of  this  kind  frequently  occur  at 
rook-shooting  parties,  through  firing  from  positions 
directly  beneath  the  birds." 

WIPING  THE    EYE. 

This  is  a  common  term  among  sportsmen  :  with  the 
vulgar  it  is  erroneously  termed  "  wij^ing  the  nose." 
It  occurs  in  this  way :  when  two  or  more  sportsmen 
are  shooting  in  company,  and  one  of  them  fires  at  a 
bird  and  misses  it,  another  fires  at  the  same  bird  and 
kills  it :  it  is  then  said,  to  the  honor  of  the  one  who 
killed  the  bird,  that  he  "  wiped  the  eye  "  of  his  com- 
panion who  shot  at  and  missed  it. 


94  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 


riNISHmG   LESSON'S. 

A  SPORTSMAN  who  is  ambitious  to  become  a  dead 
shot,  must  not  be  content  Avith  simply  winging  or 
wounding  his  birds  at  forty  yards,  or  other  fair  dis- 
tances ;  he  ought  to  kill,  so  that  the  bird  lies  at  the 
spot  where  it  fell,  and  may  be  recovered  'after  re- 
loading, without  the  assistance  of  dogs.  To  wing  or 
wound  is  only  excusable  at  long  range,  or  random, 
doubtful,  cramped,  or  difficult  shots. 

A  dead  shot  kills  his  birds  in  the  air ;  they  drop 
dead  to  his  unerring  aim,  and  yet  they  are  not  man- 
gled or  disfigured.  Such  men  are  naturally  good 
judges  of  distance,  accurate  marksmen,  and  instant 
or  simultaneous  trigger-touchers ;  and  thus  they  kill 
their  game  in  splendid  style. 

A  professed  good  shot  ought  always  to  kill  a  brace 
out  of  every  covey  that  rises  before  him  within 
thirty-five  yards. 

Confidence,   perfect   self-composure,  a   quick   eye, 


FINISHING   LESSONS.  95 

steady  aim,  and  good  judgment,  are  all  essential 
qualities  in  a  good  marksman ;  and  the  hand  and  eye 
must  act  in  unison ;  or  as  if  connected  by  electricity. 

No  sportsman  can  shoot  well,  though  with  the  best 
gun  ever  made,  if  he  be  nervous,  hesitating,  flurried, 
ha^ty,  or  careless.  The  error,  more  frequently  than 
otherwise,  rests  in  the  hand  which  touches  the  trigger, 
being  too  late  in  obeying  the  eye  and  the  aim. 

The  slightest  tremor,  one  nervous  motion,  one  pul- 
sation of  the  heart  at  the  instant  of  pulling  trigger, 
and  the  steadmess  of  the  aim  is  lost,  and  consequently 
the  bird  is  missed. 

So  faithfully  must  the  bird  be  covered  at  the  mo- 
ment of  taking  aim,  that,  when  flying  across  or  trans- 
versely, in  order  to  kill  it,  whilst  you  are  pulling 
trigger  you  must  sometimes  absolutely  lose  sight  of 
it,  by  reason  of  the  bearing  of  your  gun  being  both 
above  and  in  advance  of  it. 

Great  attention  and  steadiness  are  required  in  pn^e- 
8entin<j  the  gun  at  a  flying  object,  it  is  of  as  much 
importance  as  taking  aim.  Pitch  the  gun  into  its 
exact  position  at  the  shoulder,  and  the  instant  you 
feel  that  your  eye  is  rigly:,  if  the  trigger-finger  obeys, 
you  may  be  certain  of  killing. 

To  avoid  missing  a  cross-flying  or  running  object, 


&6  THE  DEAD  SHOT. 

you  must  not  only  aim  before  it,  but  take  care  that 
you  do  not  involuntarily  stop  the  motion  of  your 
arms  and  gun,  as  they  follow  the  object  at  the  mo- 
ment of  pressing  the  trigger.  Want  of  attention  to 
this  simple  fact  is  too  often  the  reason  why  the  shot 
passes  below  and  behind  the  object.  Accustom 
yourself  to  keep  the  gun  to  the  shoulder  after  you 
have  jDulled  the  trigger,  and  you  will  eventually  over- 
come this  great  defect  in  your  shooting,  and  thereby 
gain  a  capital  point  towards  becoming  a  dead  shot. 
The  contrary  habit,  when  once  acquired,  is  very  dif- 
ficult to  correct,  and  often  prevents  a  quick,  sharp- 
sighted  sportsman  from  ever  shooting  well. 

When  the  bird  is  flying  rapidly  to  right  or  left,  let 
the  motion  of  the  gun  be  kept  up  whilst,  and  for  the 
instant  after,  pulling  trigger :  the  space  of  a  yard  in 
flight  is  gained  in  a  moment. 

It  is  the  interlapse  between  the  correct  aim  and 
the  touch  of  the  trigger,  or  impulse  of  the  shot, 
which  is  the  secret  of  many  a  miss  at  a  rapidly  flying 
object. 

If  you  find  from  repeated  experiments  that  you 
shoot  too  low,  make  a  firm  Resolution,  and  constantly 
bear  it  in  mind  throughout  the  day,  to  shoot  higher. 

Mr,  Blaine,  in  his  *'  Rural  Sports,"  says,  "  Shoot  at 


FINISHING  LESSONS.  97 

the  head  in  every  direction,  if  possible ;"  adding,  that 
he  "  cannot  see  any  necessity  for  greater  allowance." 
But  such  theory  can  only  be  applied  to  objects  with- 
in point-blank  and  short  ranges ;  because  experience 
teaches  us  that  considerable  allowance  Tnust  be  made 
for  distance  and  velocity  of  flight. 

When  a  snap  shot  offers,  fix  your  eyes  immediately 
upon  the  object ;  and,  if  a  bird,  pitch  your  gun  well 
forward,  and  fire  Avithout  an  instant's  deliberation. 
If  at  a  rabbit  whilst  darting  into  cover,  fire  in  advance 
of  its  head.  It  is  of  no  use  shooting  the  hind-quar- 
ters of  either  rabbit  or  hare,  nor  the  legs  and  rumps 
of  birds  ;  because,  although  you  may  wound,  not  one 
in  ten  is  recovered ;  they  get  away  and  die  a  linger- 
ing death. 

The  man  who  would  shoot  flying  objects  with  skill 
and  precision,  requires  a  combination  of  steadiness 
and  dexterity  in  his  movements ;  and  there  must  be 
a  sympathetic  action  between  the  eye  and  hand. 

Many  ardent  sportsmen  never  become  good  shots, 
though  in  constant  practice,  through  a  want  of  these 
qualities. 

Remember,  also,  that  it  is  the  dumb  sportsman 
who  gets  nearest  to  his  game,  not  the  talkative  one. 

Follow    up   a  trustworthy  dog,  even  to  unlikely 


98  THE   DEAB   SHOT. 

looking  places.  He  who  follows  his  dog  up  closest, 
makes  the  heaviest  bag. 

The  art  of  measuring  distances  with  the  eye  is  a 
great  accomplishment  in  a  sportsman,  and  is  of 
essential  value ;  it  is  to  be  acquired  by  practice,  and 
by  shooting  at  a  mark  from  various  measured 
distances  Avithin  reasonable  range, 

A  dead  shot  is  enabled,  from  practice,  instantly  to 
calculate  the  speed,  distance,  and  direction  of  flight 
of  the  object  of  his  aim ;  if  it  were  not  so,  he  could 
never  be  certaia  of  his  bird. 

And  the  simple  fact  that  there  is  a  tendency 
towards  the  earth  in  every  inanimate  substance  mov- 
ing by  force  through  the  air,  is  too  frequently  lost 
sight  of;  whereas  no  sportsman  can  ever  become  a 
good  shot,  or  kill  objects  at  long  distances,  unless  he 
has  a  tolerably  correct  knowledge  of  that  indisputa- 
ble law  of  nature. 

Never  let  a  fair  chance  slip  away ;  that  is  to  say, 
if  a  bird  rises  within  range,  down  with  it.  Though 
it  rise  ever  so  suddenly,  and  the  surprise  be  ever  so 
gi-eat,  if  your  nerves  are  quiet  and  your  aim  true  and 
steady,  the  bird  is  yours. 


GOLDEN   SECRETS.  99 


THREE   GOLDEN"  SECRETS. 

There  are  three  elements  in  accurate  shooting  at 
flying  objects  which,  though  before  mentioned  in 
detail,  I  would  fain  repeat  for  the  purpose  of  impress- 
ing them  upon  the  mind  of  the  young  sportsman  as 
"  golden  secrets."     They  are  these : 

1 .  At  straightforward  shots  keep  your  head  erect, 
and  let  your  line  of  aim  (or  visual  line)  run  along  the 
back  of  the  bird  at  the  instant  of  pressing  the 
trigger  ;  and  you  may  then  be  certain  of  killing. 

2.  At  a  bird  crossing  to  the  right,  throw  your 
head  well  over  the  gun,  and  let  your  visual  line  run 
level  with  the  head  of  the  bird,  and  more  or  less  in 
advance,  according  to  distance  and  the  rate  at  which 
it  may  be  flying  when  you  shoot. 

3.  At  a  bird  crossing  to  the  left,  keep  your  head 
straight,  pitch  your  visual  line  upon  a  level  with  the 
head  of  the  bird  and  in  front  of  it,  at  a  distance  vary- 
ing from  one  to  twenty-four  inches  or  more,  accord- 
ing to  range  and  velocity  of  flight. 

AYithout  a  strict  adherence  to  these  three  rules  it 
is  impossible  for  any  man  to  become  a  dead  shot ; 
whereas  by  following  them  up  to  the  very  letter,  a 


100  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

bad  shot  will  assuredly   become  a  splendid  marks- 
man. 


THE   MAN   WHO   NEVER   MISSES. 

The  young  sj)ortsman  should  never  vex  himself  by 
reckoning  the  number  of  shots  he  has  missed.  It  is 
well  to  think  nothing  about  them ;  because  missing  a 
number  of  shots,  whether  successively  or  otherwise, 
when  out  in  the  field,  is  no  true  test  that  the  sports- 
man is  a  bad  shot. 

The  most  faithful  test  is,  the  result  of  the  whole 
day's  shooting ;  or  the  average  of  several  successive 
days. 

We  often  hear  romantic  tales  of  great  perform- 
ances by  sportsmen  ;  some  of  whom  are  said  "  never 
to  miss :"  others,  that  "  so  sure  as  the  cap  explodes, 
the  bh'd  falls ;"  all  which  may  be  true  in  theory,  but 
not  in  practice.  I  have  frequently  been  out  shooting 
with  those  who  bear  these  enviable  characters,  and 
with  some  who  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  best 
shots  in  England ;  but  I  never  yet  saw  the  man  who 
could  sustain  the  cliaracter,  during  two  successive 
days,  of  "  never  missing,"  provided  he  fired  every 
time  he  had  a  chance  of  killinsf. 


THE   MAN   WHO    NEVER    MISSES.  101 

A  good  shot  may  go  out  in  September,  and  shoot 
from  morning  to  evening  without  missing ;  or  he 
may  bag  as  many  birds  as  he  has  made  shots  ;  but  to 
do  this  he  must  fire  only  at  point  bhink  and  short 
range,  and  refuse  all  doubtful^  difficulty  and  cramped 
shots  ;  for  it  stands  to  reason  that  he  cannot  be  cer- 
tain of  kilhng  any  of  these  three  at  long  range ; 
though  chance  and  good  skill  may  enable  him  to  kill 
half  the  number,  or  two  out  of  the  three;  but  it  is 
absurd  to  imagine  he  can  kill  all.  One  doubtful,  diffi- 
cult, or  cramped  shot  at  long  range,  when  successful, 
is,  to  an  old  sportsman,  worth  half-a-dozen  easy  or 
certain  ones  :  he  delights  in  it  because  it  was  doubt- 
ful ;  and  he  knows  besides,  that  it  taxed  his  skill  to 
the  utmost ;  and  no  good  shot,  or  aspiring  sportsman, 
will  care  for  missing  any  but  downright  fair  and  easy 
chances. 

Therefore  when  I  hear  a  man  boastins;  of  havinjx 
been  shooting  all  day,  and  filled  his  game  bag  "  with- 
out missing  a  single  shot,"  I  am  always  well  con- 
vinced that  he  must  have  made  all  the  very  favorable 
shots,  and  refused  many,  if  not  all,  the  doubtful  and 
difficult  ones ;  whereas  those  are  the  very  shots  at 
which  he  should  have  tried  his  hand. 

To  constitute  a  "  dead  shot"  it  does  not  follow 


102  THE    DEAD    SHOT.   ^ 

that  he  should  kill  every  time  he  presses  trigger ; 
because  if  he  makes  random  shots  it  is  impossible 
but  he  must  sometimes  miss,  or  at  least  that  he  can- 
not always  kill ;  though  he  may  always  either  wound 
or  kill. 

Let  me  console  the  young  sportsman  with  the 
fact,  that  the  most  skilful,  the  most  experienced,  and 
the  deadliest  shots,  sometimes  miss  fair  chances ; 
though,  certainly,  very  seldom. 

Yery  long  shots  are  always  chance  shots  ;  and  to 
one  successful  there  belongs  three  unsuccessful.  For 
notwithstanding  that  the  sportsman's  aim  may  be 
correct,  the  scattered  and  uncertain  hitting  of  the 
shot,  makes  it  three  to  one  against  killing  a  very  long 
shot ;  or  any  thing  over  fifty  yards.  The  proof  of 
this  statement  is  exceedingly  simple :  let  the  sports- 
man measure  the  distance,  put  up  a  quire  of  large 
sheets  of  paper,  and  fire  at  it ;  and  he  will  be  sur- 
prised to  find  how  widely  scattered  the  shot  strikes 
at  long  distances  ;  and  how  easy  it  is  for  a  bird  to 
escape,  though  the  aim  taken  be  as  accurate  as  pos- 
sible. 


THE   BAD    SHOT. 


103 


THE  BAD  SHOT. 


A  bad  shot  is  an  unfortunate  being ;  generally  an 
excitable,  nervous,  craving  sort  of  a  fellow,  who 
vexes  himself  every  time  he  fires  his  gun :  and  though 
his  companions  ridicule  his  attempts,  they  are  annoy- 
ed to  see  him  banging  heavy  charges  at  coveys, 
wounding  several  but  killing  none.  His  dog  becomes 
suspicious  of  him,  and  grows  careless  in  its  work ; 
because  it  so  seldom  has  the  chance  of  mouthing,  and 
sticking  its  nose  into  the  plumage  of  a  bird  ;  which 
is  always  as  great  a  delight  and  satisfaction  to  a  dog 
in  the  field,  as  are  the  choicest  and  most  fragrant  ex- 
otics to  a  lady  in  her  boudoir. 

If  the  bad  shot  by  any  chance  happens  to  bring 
down  a  bird,  a  race  immediately  ensues  between  him 
and  his  dog,  as  to  which  will  be  first  to  recover  it. 

Being  no  judge  of  distance,  he  fires  either  too  soon 
or  too  late.  If  he  kills,  in  the  one  case  the  bird  is  so 
mangled  that  it  is  not  worth  the  cooking  ;  and  in  the 
other,  it  is  only  winged,  or  so  slightly  wounded  that 
it  occasions  more  trouble  in  the  retrievini?  than  it  is 
wortlL     Well  may  the  poet  say  of  him  : — 


104  THE   DEAD   SHOl. 

"  There  sprung  a  single  partridge !  hah !  she's  gone  I 
Oh !  sir  I  you'd  time  enough,  you  shot  too  soon ; 
Scarce  twenty  yards  in  open  sight !  for  shame ! 
Y'had  shatter'd  her  to  pieces  with  right  aim  1" 

When  he  has  been  over  a  manor  abounding  with 
birds,  and  returns  home  with  a  brace  or  two  only,  he 
feels  bound  to  acknowledge  the  fact  of  there  being 
plenty  of  birds,  but  says  "they  are  wonderfully 
wild." 

When  shooting  with  other  sj)ortsraen,  he  invents 
all  sorts  of  false  excuses  to  account  to  them  for  his 
bad  shooting :  says  it  is  a  most  unusual  thing  for 
him  to  miss  two  successive  shots :  and  then,  on  miss- 
ing a  third,  appeals  to  his  companions  as  to  whether 
or  no  they  saw  the  feathers  fly  :  and  on  their  laugh- 
ing, or  rej^lying  in  the  negative,  he  says — "  Bless  me  ! 
why  I  completely  flecked  it !"  "Legs  are  broken!" 
"  Bird  will  die  !"  "  A  little  too  far  !"  "  My  shot  is 
too  small !"  and  such  like  excuses,  which  continue 
throughout  the  day,  and  increase  the  merriment  of 
the  sportsmen,  at  the  expense  of  the  bad  shot. 

He  is,  besides,  self-conceited,  and  says  the  art 
of  shooting  may  be  better  learned  without  a  book, 
and  so  he  never  reads  one. 

His  friend,  a  dead  shot,  tells  him  that  many  a  bad 


THE   BAD    SHOT.  105 

shot  has  been  made  a  good  one  through  the  study  of 
a  good  book  upon  the  subject.  He  does  not  believe 
it ;  therefore  his  friend  the  dead  shot  leaves  him,  and 
says  to  himself,  as  he  shoulders  his  gun — 

"Where  ignorance  is  bliss,  'tis  folly  to  be  wise." 

I  know  one  or  two  affected  sportsmen  who,  rather 
than  have  it  thought  by  their  friends  that  they  are 
bad  shots,  actually  purchase  game  and  send  it  as 
presents,  when  they  are  unable  to  shoot  any. 

All  bad  shots  shoot  both  behind  and  below  their 
birds ;  consequently  whenever  they  chance  to  knock 
a  bird  down,  it  is  never  hit  in  the  head,  but  almost 
invariably  in  the  legs  and  rump — the  least  vulnerable 
parts ;  and  so  there  is  always  a  difficulty  in  recover- 
ing it. 

Again,  bad  marksmen  seldom  kill  cross  shots,  be- 
cause they  shoot  at  their  birds  instead  o^  in  front  of 
them. 

As  a  general  rule,  a  bad  marksman  kills  nothing 
but  straightforward  shots;  and  those  only  at  point- 
blank  or  short  range. 

Let  me  remind  the  bad  shot,  that  unless  he  oc- 
casionally kills  a  few  birds,  his  dog  will  attemjjt  to 
kill  some  for  him ;  and,  in  bitter  disappointment  at 
5* 


106  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

his  master's  fruitless  attempts,  will  run  in,  chase,  and 
perform  many  other  uncontrollable  actions. 

A  young  sportsman  should  beware  of  purchasing  a 
dog,  however  cheap  in  price,  and  however  well-bred, 
of  a  man  who  has  the  notoriety  of  being  a  "bad 
shot." 


THE  NERYOUS   SPORTSMAK 

There  are  many  sportsmen  who,  do  what  they 
will,  cannot  avoid  a  painful  trepidation,  palpitation, 
or  state  of  nervousness  when  walking  up  to  the  dog 
at  its  point ;  and  the  same  if  a  bird  or  covey  rises 
suddenly,  without  being  pointed  by  the  dog.  Such 
feelings  and  pulsations  are,  of  all  things,  the  greatest 
drawback  to  good  shooting.  Many  say,  "  Oh  !  if  I 
could  only  throw  off  this  nervous  anxiety,  this  eager 
desire  to  kill,  this  fluttering  of  the  heart  when  a  bird 
rises  before  me, —  if  I  could  but  take  these  things 
coolly,  and  treat  them  as  of  less  importance,  what  an 
excellent  shot  I  should  be !" 

An  ungovernable  nervousness  is  a  great  and  almost 
insurmountable  obstacle  to  a  man  ever  becoming  a 
proficient  in  shooting.  If  such  a  man  ever  shoots 
well  during  the  day,  it  will  be  at  a  moment  of  uncon- 


THE   XERVOUS    SPORTSMAN.  107 

cernedness,  or  when  he  is  quite  indifferent  as  to  the 
result. 

The  only  remedy  that  can  be  suggested  is,  to  en- 
deavor to  recollect  yourself,  make  coolness  a  duty, 
and  be  less  anxious  and  eager  as  to  the  result  of  your 
shot. 

If  a  young  sportsman  who  is  troubled  with^  the 
"nervous  anxiety"  were  to  say  to  himself  before 
firing,  "Steady,  Ed'ard  Cuttle!  steady  !"  and  act  up 
to  it,  ten  to  one  but  he  would  soon  find  himself  con- 
siderably improved. 

But  coolness  and  deliberation  are  difficult  quali- 
fications to  teach,  whether  verbally  or  by  book ;  they 
should  both  be  inherent  in  the  sportsman,  or  he  must 
never  hope  or  expect  to  become  "  a  dead  shot"  at  all 
times ;  though  when  perfectly  free  from  tremor  or  ex- 
citement, he  may  shoot  as  well  as  the  best  shot  in  the 
land.  Such  a  man,  however,  will  seldom  shoot  tAvo 
days  alike. 

Over-eagerness  often  begets  nervousness  and  con- 
fusion, which  not  only  incur  danger,  but  assuredly 
prevent  a  young  sportsman  from  killmg  at  the  most 
reasonable  distances. 

A  steady  hand,  and  firm,  but  quiet  nerve,  are 
among  the  highest  and  most  necessary  qualifications 


108  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

of  a  good  shot.  If  possessed  by  the  sportsman,  he  is 
certain,  with  perseverance  and  practice,  to  become  a 
dead  shot. 

Successful  shooting,  gives  ease  to  the  nerves  and 
confidence  to  the  shooter;  but  the  fear  of  not  hitting, 
and  the  over-anxiety  to  kill,  are  the  certain  precur- 
sors to  missing. 

Nervous  men  generally  find  the  greatest  difficulty 
in  keeping  themselves  from  excitement  when  a  bird 
is  coming  directly  towards  them,  or  when  they  are 
certain  of  a  sjiot. 

When  a  man  is  tremulous  or  excited,  whether  at 
the  noise  or  suddenness  of  birds  springing  from  the 
ground,  or  otherwise,  he  makes  an  unsteady  and  dif- 
ferent aim  to  that  which  he  would  take  if  free  from 
tremor  and  excitement. 

N'ervous  men  generally  shoot  best  when  by  them- 
selves. In  presence  of  strangers  they  invariably 
shoot  badly  ;  some  through  the  vexation  and  annoy- 
ance of  being  considered  bad  shots,  of  losing  their 
reputation,  or  of  being  beaten  by  inferior  sportsmen. 

Most  men  shoot  well  or  ill,  according  to  the  state 
of  their  nerves.  One  of  the  best  shots  I  ever  saw  in 
the  field,  I  one  day  met  at  a  pigeon-shooting  match  ; 
when,  not  being  accustomed  to  pigeon-shooting,  to 


THE   NERVOUS    SPORTSMAN.  109 

my  astonishment  he  was  in  such  an  anxious  and  ner- 
vous state,  that  he  was  well  beaten  by  young  sports- 
men of  very  ordinary  pretensions. 

When  the  nervous  sportsman  misses,  it  is  either 
because  his  trigger-finger  is  not  quick  enough  in 
obeying  his  aim,  or  because  he  makes  a  nervous 
twitch  at  the  moment  of  pulling  trigger,  and  so  drops 
the  muzzle  of  his  gun  just  sufficient  to  miss  his  aim  ; 
or,  having  got  the  right  aim,  he  does  not  keep  the 
gun  moving  as  the  bird  moves,  long  enough  to  en- 
sure the  shot  striking  where  he  wishes. 

It  is  impossible  to  attach  too  much  importance  to 
these  principles  ;  a  neglect  of  them  is  frequently  the 
cause  of  missing  a  very  fair  shot ;  for  if  the  finger 
errs  in  any  way,  or  fails  to  act  in  concert  with  the 
eye,  the  bird  is  enevitably  missed.  There  must  be 
no  momentary  pause :  the  object  is  on  the  move :  an 
imperceptible  instant  between  the  moment  of  true 
aim  and  pressing  the  trigger,  causes  a  delay  in  the 
ignition  of  the  powder ;  and  so  the  bird  flies  away 
unhurt,  by  reason  of  the  shot  flying  below  or  be- 
hind it. 


110  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 


THE  CARELESS  SPORTSMAN. 

A  blooming  youth,  who  had  just  passed  the  boy, 

The  father's  only  child  and  only  joy, 

As  he  intent  designed  the  larks  his  prey. 

Himself  as  sweet  and  innocent  as  they, 

The  fatal  powder  in  the  porch  of  death 

Having  in  vain  discharged  its  flash  of  breath, 

The  tender  reasoner,  curious  to  know 

Whether  the  piece  were  really  charged  or  no, 

With  mouth  to  mouth  apphed,  began  to  blow. 

A  dreadful  hiss !  for  now  the  silent  bano 

Had  bored  a  passage  thro'  the  whizzing  train, 

The  shot  all  rent  his  skull,  and  dashed  around  his  brain ! 

Unguarded  swains  !  oh  !  still  remember  this, 

And  to  your  shoulder  close  constrain  the  piece. 

For  lurking  seeds  of  death  unheard  may  hiss." 

Markland. 

If  with  no  other  motive  than  that  of  humanity,  I 
should  feel  perfectly  justified  in  introducing  the  re- 
marks I  am  about  to  make,  on  the  causes  and  means 
of  prevention  of  gun  accidents ;  but  in  addition  to  a 
humane  motive,  it  is  considered  of  so  much  import- 
ance to  the  young  sportsman,  that  he  should  thor- 
oughly learn  and  practise  the  safe  and  careful  mode 
of  handling  his  gun  (and  such  is  the  only  correct  one), 
that  the  oldest  sportsmen  declare  it  to  be  the  pri- 
mary lesson  he  should  learn,  and  one  of  the  most  es- 


THE   CAEELESS    SPORTSMAN.  Ill 

sential  rudiments  in  the  instruction  of  a  tyro ;  lest  he 
should  become  a  "  dead  shot"  to  some  friend,  relative, 
or  companion,  and  so  embitter  for  ever,  with  sorrow 
and  pain,  the  future  years  of  his  own  life,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  lasting  grief  of  those  who  were 
nearest  and  dearest  in  relationship  to  his  unfortunate 
victim. 

Let  the  careless  sportsman  remember,  that  if  his 
gun  should  burst  and  be  shattered  to  atoms,  though 
he  may  with  money  get  another;  yet  if  his  right 
hand  happens  to  be  blown  off  or  shattered,  all  the 
money  in  the  world,  and  all  the  surgical  skill  on  earth, 
cannot  give  him  another  like  the  one  he  has,  at  a 
careless  and  unguarded  moment,  lost ;  to  his  sorrow 
it  is  lost  for  ever. 

Therefore,  before  touching  powder  and  shot,  let 
the  young  sportsman  practise  for  several  days  or 
even  weeks,  as  suggested  in  the  early  pages  of  this 
work,  the  safe  and  proper  positions  of  handling,  load- 
ing, carrying,  and  presenting  his  gun ;  and  after  he 
has  learnt  these  thoroughly,  let  his  tutor  fine  him 
every  time  he  catches  him  off  his  guard,  or  with  his 
gun  in  a  dangerous  or  improper  position  in  his  hands. 
Having  well  learnt  the  manipulation,  let  him  prac- 
tise with  gun-caps  (upon  old  nipples)  in  aiming  and 


112  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

snapping  them  off  at  objects  far  and  near  ;  and  when 
his  tutor  thinks  him  entirely  careful  with  his  piece, 
and  fully  awake  to  the  dangers  of  carelessness,  then, 
and  not  till  then,  should  he  be  allowed  to  use  gun- 
powder. And  when  so  far  advanced,  it  becomes  ne- 
cessary that  he  should  learn  how  to  protect  himself 
from  danger,  and  guard  agamst  the  many  accidents 
to  which  he  himself  is  exposed,  on  carelessness,  or 
improper  handling  and  loading  the  piece. 

The  young  sportsman,  having  imposed  upon  him- 
self the  strict  observance  of  all  the  safe  modes  and 
positions  of  handling  and  carrying  the  gun,  it  will, 
eventually,  become  more  natural  to  him  to  carry  it  in 
a  safe  position  than  in  an  unsafe  one  ;  and  then  in  the 
event  of  accidental  or  unintentional  discharge,  to  his 
comfort  and  satisfaction  it  will  do  nobody  any  harm. 
Through  life  he  must  never,  under  any  circumstances, 
forget,  or  ever  fail  to  observe  most  strictly,  the  les- 
sons he  has  learnt  on  the  safe  handling  and  carrying 
his  gun. 

Any  person  who  has  been  drinking  freely  should 
not  touch  a  gun  until  sober ;  and  a  sportsman  should 
not,  under  any  persuasion,  be  induced  to  walk  out,  or 
even  remain  in  company  with  another  who  is  in  the 
least  degree  the  worse  for  liquor,  and  y-st  has  a  load- 


IN  IMMEDIATE  EXPECTATION  OF  A  SHOT. 


THE    CARELESS    SP0ETSMA:N^.  113 

ed  gun  ill  his  hands.  The  best  plan  is  to  take  the 
gun  from  him  unawares,  and  fire  it  off. 

Strong  drink  has  been  the  cause  of  many  fatal  and 
lamentable  accidents  with  fire-arms. 

Never  sufiTer  a  gun,  whether  loaded  or  unloaded, 
to  be  pointed /br  a  moment  towards  any  human  being. 
A  gun  has  often  been  found  to  be  loaded,  though  the 
owner  has  asserted  positively  that  it  was  not. 

Kever  beat  the  bushes  with' your  gun,  or  poke  it  in 
a  rabbit's  burrow. 

It  is  awkward,  improper,  and  dangerous  to  carry  a 
loaded  gun  with  the  muzzle  pointed  downwards. 
Such  a  practise  has  been  the  cause  of  more  accidents 
through  barrels  bursting  than  any  thing  else  ;  a  charge 
of  shot  is  like  a  small  heavy  w^eight  in  the  barrel, 
pressing  upon  a  movable  gun- wadding;  and,  with 
the  least  jar  whilst  the  muzzle  is  pointing  downwards, 
it  is  very  apt  to  force  its  way  from  the  powder,  and 
move  the  shot-wadding  from  its  position ;  particularly 
if  the  gun  be  very  smooth  and  clean  inside,  or  if  the 
waddings  be  thin,  or  the  edges  greasy.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  add  that,  as  a  natural  consequence  in  the 
event  of  the  shot  moving  from  its  position,  and  so 
creating  a  vacuum  in  the  barrel,  it  will  be  almost  cer- 
tain to  burst  on  discharo^e. 


114  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

Also  if  you  happen  to  fall  whilst  carrying  the  gun 
in  that  improper  position,  and  the  muzzle  should  pitch 
on  the  ground,  and  cause  the  gun  to  explode,  the 
barrel  or  barrels  exploded  will  assuredly  burst  ;  and 
the  chances  are  ten  to  one  but  you  will  be  killed. 

I  once  had  a  narrow  escape  of  an  accident  of  this 
nature.  On  stepping  out  of  my  gunning-punt  in 
frosty  weather,  with  a  loaded  double-barrelled  shoul- 
der-piece under  my  arm,  and  my  hands  and  pockets 
so  full  of  wild  fowl  that  I  fancied  I  could  not  carry 
the  gun  in  any  other  than  that  unsafe  position,  with 
the  muzzle  pointing  downwards ;  though  I  had  taken 
the  precaution  to  put  the  hammers  at  half-cock ;  I  ac- 
cidently  trod  upon  a  piece  of  ice  and  slipped,  when, 
having  heavy  water-boots  on,  I  could  not  recover  my- 
self; and  falling  forwards,  the  muzzle  of  my  gun 
struck  into  the  ground,  both  barrels  plugging  up  with 
the  sand  :  fortunately  neither  barrel  exploded,  or,  as 
an  inevitable  result,  I  should  probably  have  been 
killed  on  the  spot.  On  drawing  the  gun  out  of  the 
ground,  I  found  the  muzzle  had  penetrated  several 
inches,  leaving  holes  in  the  sand  resembling  those 
made  by  boring  pieces  out  of  a  cheese  with  the  tast- 
ing knife. 

One  of  the  most  common  causes  of  guns  bursting 


THE   PERILS    OF    CARELESSNESS.  115 

is  that  of  accidently  stopping  the  muzzle  with  clay  or 
snow ;  through  carelessly  and  improperly  carrying 
the  gun  with  the  muzzle  downwards,  and  so  climbing 
hills,  hedges,  and  ditches.  A  gun  may  also  be  in- 
stantly burst  by  firing  it  off  whilst  the  muzzle  is  thrust 
several  inches  into  the  water. 

Warnings  occur  every  year,  of  painful  and  melan- 
choly accidents,  many  of  them  embittering  the  honey- 
ed cup  of  sport  with  a  gall  of  bitterness  that  rankles  in 
the  bosom  of  a  reflecting  sportsman  all  the  days  of 
his  life. 

Always  take  the  caps  off  the  nipples  before  getting 
into  a  vehicle,  or  riding  or  driving  a  horse. 

Beware  of  the  danger  attending  the  constant  prac- 
tice of  drawing  the  shot  from  the  barrel  by  invert- 
ing the  muzzle  and  tossing  it  into  the  hand  whilst  the 
caps  remain  on  the  nipples  ;  the  safer  plan  is  to  fire  it 
off,  if  too  careless  to  remove  the  caps  before  drawing 
the  charge. 

Never  put  a  cap  on  the  nipples  till  the  performance 
of  loading   is  completed. 

Never  carry  a  gun  with  the  hammers  down  on  un- 
exploded  caps. 

And  remember,  that  it  is  in  moments  of  the  great- 
est excitement  that  accidents  generally  occur. 


116  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

It  would  seem  to  be  almost  unnecessary  to  remind 
young  sportsman  of  the  perils  incurred  through  load- 
ing one  barrel  of  a  gun  whilst  the  other  is  loaded  and 
capped,  and  the  lock  at  full-cock  ;  and  yet  in  the  hurry 
and  excitement  of  sport,  this  is  a  common  occurrence 
with  careless  sportsmen :  and  of  course  accidents  fre- 
quently occur  through  it,  particularly  with  common 
locks ;  and  also  with  good  ones,  if  permitted  to  be- 
come foul,  or  if  besmeared  with  impure  oil. 

If  one  barrel  be  charged  and  capped,  whilst  loading 
the  other  be  sure  to  put  the  lock  at  half-cock ;  and  if 
it  be  a  common  or  doubtful  lock,  it  will  be  safer  to 
load  with  the  hammer  gently  resting  upon  the  nipple. 
The  best  and  safest  locks  are  those  which  have  pat- 
ent stops  for  locking  the  hammer,  and  holding  it  in 
perfect  safety  during  the  process  of  loading. 

When  the  ramrod  becomes  accidentally  Bet  fast  in 
the  barrel  of  the  gun,  never  fire  it  out ;  by  so  doing, 
you  incur  great  risk  of  bursting  the  gun.  The  fool- 
hardy, in  their  eagerness  and  haste,  disbelieve  these 
facts,  press  the  trigger,  and  then  the  sad  truth  is 
verified. 

And  how  frequent  are  the  accidents  which  every 
year  occur  through  the.  fatal  effects  of  loading  the 
wrong  barrel,  or  putting  one  charge  on  the  top  of  the 


THE  PERILS   OF   CARELESSNESS.  117 

other,  instead  of  loading  the  empty  barrel !  If  this 
be  done,  and  a  thin  wadding  only  lies  between  the 
two  charges,  the  gun  must  inevitably  be  burst  on 
discharge  :  and  it  is  two  to  one  but  the  same  result 
would  follow  with  a  thick  wadding,  if  the  charges  of 
powder  are  large.  Hundreds  of  sportsmen  make 
mistakes  of  the  kind,  and  load  the  wrong  barrel ; 
when,  if  they  are  lucky  enough  to  discover  it  in  time 
to  draw  the  charge,  they  probably  save  their  lives,  or 
at  least  a  limb. 

The  remedy  for  mistakes  in  loading  the  wrong  bar- 
rel is  exceedingly  simple,  if  careless  sportsmen  would 
only  observe  it.  Always  make  it  an  established  rule, 
in  charging  one  barrel  whilst  the  other  is  loaded,  to 
drop  the  ramrod  into  the  charged  barrel  and  leave  it 
there  on  each  occasion,  whilst  putting  in  the  powder 
and  shot. 

An  additional  advantage  gained  by  this  suggested 
process  is,  that  you  find  whether  or  know  the  wad- 
ding a-top  of  the  undischarged  barrel  has  moved  by 
the  jar  occasioned  to  it  in  discharge  of  the  other. 

Some  persons  shoot  half  the  day  entirely  with  one 
barrel,  whilst  the  other  is  charged :  this  should  not 
be,  because  repeated  discharges  are  very  apt  to  loos- 
en the  charge  of  the  other  barrel :   and  hence  the 


118  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

greater  necessity  for  the  precaution  suggested,  of 
dropping  the  ramrod  over  the  charge  whilst  re-load- 
ing the  empty  barrel. 

The  reckless  folly  of  drawing  a  gun  through  the 
hedge,  muzzle  first,  is  so  glaring,  that  one  would  sup- 
pose none  but  a  maniac  would  do  such  a  thing,  and 
yet  we  constantly  hear  of  careless  young  sportsmen 
being  shot  in  that  way.  And  it  is  equally  dangerous 
to  drag  the  gun  through  the  hedge  the  contrary  way, 
because  your  friend  on  the  other  side  incurs  equal 
risk  of  being  shot. 

A  gun  should  always  be  held  muzzle  upwards  on 
getting  over  and  through  hedges  ;  and  where  this 
cannot  be  done,  it  should  be  carefully  pushed  on  in 
front  of  the  sportsman ;  Avho  before  and  whilst  get- 
ting through  the  hedge,  should  constantly  watch  the 
direction  in  which  the  muzzle  is  pointmg,  and  see 
that  it  is  not  towards  man  or  dog. 

Another  common  cause  of  accidents  is,  through  in- 
attention to  the  locks  of  the  gun.  If  they  become 
foul  or  pull  heavier  than  usual,  they  should  immedi- 
ately be  looked  to.  The  use  of  common  oil  instead  of 
pure  gunsmith's  or  watchmaker's  oil,  has  often  been 
the  cause  of  accidents  through  forming  corrosive 
substances  on  the  part  of  the  scear  and  tumbler. 


I 


THE   FLIGHT    OF    GAME. 


119 


Let  the  careless  sportsman  beware  of  loading  his 
gun  in  too  great  haste  or  eagerness ;  gun  accidents 
are  always  serious  and  generally,  fatal.  Let  him  re- 
member at  all  times,  and  in  all  situations,  in  the 
midst  of  sport,  in  disappointment,  and  in  glee,  that 
he  holds  in  his  hand  a  life-taking  weapon,  which  re- 
quires the  most  careful  management,  attention,  and 
watchfulness  in  order  to  prevent  accidents  to  himself, 
his  companions,  beaters,  and  dogs. 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  GAME. 

Although  the  flight  of  game  is  an  element  of  very 
instructive  consideration  for  the  young  sportsman; 
yet,  strange  to  say,  all  the  multifarious  writers  on 
guns  and  shooting  have  entirely  overlooked  the  sub- 
ject; with  the  exception  of  one  author,  Avho  has  re- 
cently produced  one  of  the  best  and  most  complete 
sporting  works  that  ever  issued  from  the  press.  I 
allude  to  the  "  Wild-fowler,"  the  author  of  which 
has  been  the  first  to  bring  forward,  specially,  to  the 
notice  of  sportsmen,  the  essential  consideration  of 
flight,  as  an  important  element  in  the  art  of  good 
shooting . 

The  author  alluded  to  discusses  the  subject,  as  far 


120  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

as  it  relates  to  wild-fowl,  in  a  very  able  and  interest- 
ing manner :  proving  beyond  doubt  that  he  is  not 
only  a  close  observer,  but  also  thoroughly  well 
grounded  in  the  true  principles  of  the  art  of  shooting, 
and  an  eminently  practical  sportsman. 

The  entire  absence  of  a  discussion  of  the  subject  in 
all  other  Avorks  on  guns  and  shooting,  shows  how  ex- 
tremely superficial  must  be  the  knowledge  of  many 
of  those  sporting  writers  who  have  professed  to  ex- 
haust the  subject  of  shooting. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that  if  the  young 
sportsman  strictly  observes  the  natural  laws  of  flight, 
together  with  those  of  gravitation  and  deflection,  and 
can  at  all  times  keep  himself  free  from  anxiety  and 
nervous  trepidation,  he  will,  with  practice,  in  a  very 
short  time  become  a  "  dead  shot."  I  guarantee  that 
no  flying  object  within  range  would  escape  his  uner- 
ring aim.  And  I  may  add  further,  that  the  more  he 
studies  the  flight  of  the  objects  of  his  gun,  the  better 
he  will  shoot. 

A  bird  crossing  at  right  angles  from  right  to  left, 
and  vice  versd^  sixty  yards  from  the  shooter,  is  cal- 
culated to  gain  on  an  average  two  feet  of  space  in 
flight,  whilst  the  shot  is  travelhng  through  the  air ; 
or,  as  it  may  be  stated,  between  the  interval  of  press- 


THE   FLIGHT    OF    GAME.  121 

ing  the  trigger  and  the  arrival  of  the  charge,  sixty 
yards  distant  from  the  gun. 

At  fifty  yards  the  space  gained  would  be  one-and- 
a-half  feet ;  at  forty  yards  about  one  foot ;  at  thirty 
about  half-a-foot;  and  so  on,  proportionally  less  as 
the  distance  decreases.  But  these  calculations  apply 
only  to  birds  crossing  at  right  angles ;  when  other 
lines  of  flight  are  taken,  such  as  rectihnear,  oblique, 
acute,  and  obtuse  angles,  the  space  is  less. 

The  simple  fact  that  at  the  moment  of  pressing  the 
trigger,  birds  are  sometimes  moving  faster  from  the 
visual  hue  of  aim  than  at  others,  by  reason  of  the 
various  lines  or  directions  of  their  flight,  is  too  often 
lost  sight  of;  though  to  be  certain  of  killing,  the  aim 
must  be  more  or  less  in  advance  of  the  bird,  accord- 
ing to  the  direction  and  velocity  of  its  flight ;  and 
also  in  accordance  with  the  distance  or  range  at  the 
time  of  pressing  the  trigger. 

Let  any  man  consider,  and  ask  himself  how  he  can 
expect  to  kill  all  his  shots  if  he  fails  to  present  his 
gun  more  or  less  in  advance  of  the  bird,  according  to 
the  direction  and  velocity  of  its  flight  ?  If  he  takes 
the  same  aim  at  all  times,  regardless  of  these  con- 
siderations, it  is  impossible  that  he  can  kiU  any  but 
chance  shots. 
6 


122  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

The  young  sportsman  sliould  watch  frequently  and 
narrowly  the  flight  of  game :  let  him  reflect  as  he 
observes  their  mode  of  flight,  and  the  various  lines  or 
directions  in  which  they  fly ;  let  him  do  this  when  he 
has  no  gun  with  him  ;  observing  the  mode  in  which 
they  rise  from  the  ground,  fly,  and  alight ;  the  noise 
they  make  as  they  rise  or  fly,  or  their  silence,  as  the 
case  may  be ;  all  which  are  fitting  subjects  for  the 
consideration  and  instruction  of  the  sportsman  who 
would  become  a  "  dead  shot." 

Undoubtedly  the  flight  of  game  is  an  important 
study  for  the  young  sportsman  who  aspires  to  per- 
fection in  the  art  of  shooting ;  and  though  I  do  not 
pretend  to  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  subject,  still  I 
trust  I  shall  be  enabled  to  record  a  few  facts,  the  re- 
sult of  close  observation,  which  may  be  of  service  to 
the  young  sportsman  in  the  course  of  his  tuition  for 
the  field. 


THE  FLIGHT  OP  PARTRIDGES. 

The  partridge  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  birds  on 
the  wing  of  any  that  exists  among  the  game  species. 
With  wonderful  rapidity,  consequently  wonderful 
power,  it  rises  perpendicularly  fi'om  the  ground  into 


I 


THE  FLIGHT   OF   PAETEIDGES.  123 

the  air  on  being  suddenly  disturbed,  particularly 
when  in  small  fields  with  high  fences.  Whatever  the 
height  of  the  fence,  if  within  fifty  yards  of  it,  the 
partridge,  on  sudden  alarm,  rises  as  high  or  higher 
than  the  top,  at  its  first  spring  from  the  ground. 

As  the  season  advances  they  rise  wilder,  higher, 
swifter,  and  more  suddenly.  But  in  large  fields, 
with  low  fences,  they  do  not  rise  so  high  on  being 
disturbed,  unless  their  flight  and  alarm  is  very  great. 

The  steadiest  flight  of  partridges  is  in  the  morn- 
ing before  ten  o'clock ;  on  first  finding  them  previous 
to  that  hour,  they  rise  slowly,  steadily,  and  some- 
times sluggishly :  the  young  sportsman  should  be 
prepared — it  is  his  best  chance. 

Their  longest  and  wildest  flight  is  made  on  being 
disturbed  between  the  hours  of  twelve  and  two  in 
the  day :  particularly  if  tAvice  or  three  times  Avithin 
an  hour. 

Their  swiftest  flight,  and  that  at  which  it  is  most 
difficult  to  kill  them,  is  when  fleeing  from  the  fright 
of  having  been  shot  at ;  and  also  when  flying  down 
wind. 

When  disturbed  on  the  verge  of  hills  and  moun- 
tains, they  do  not  rise  up  so  perpendicularly  as  when 
flushed  on  level  ground. 


124  THE   DEA.D   SHOT. 

With  reference  to  the  various  allowances  of  aim, 
to  be  made  for  variety  of  flight  and  velocity,  regard 
must  always  be  had  to  the  line  or  direction  in  which 
the  bird  is  flying  :  for  instance,  the  greatest  allow- 
ance of  all  must  be  made  for  a  bird  crossing  in  a  di- 
rect line  to  the  right  or  left.  The  reader  will  under- 
stand that  by  greatest  allowance  I  mean,  the  aim 
must  be  more  in  advance  of  the  bird  for  these  than 
for  any  others. 

Whilst  taking  these  calculations  into  consideration 
the  young  sportsman  must  remember,  that  although 
a  bird  may  be  killed,  almost  with  certainty  at  fifty 
yards,  on  crossing  at  right  angles  from  right  to  left, 
and  vice  versd  ;  yet  the  bird  could  not  be  killed  at 
that  distance  if  flying  straight  from  the  sportsman, 
though  more  than  half  the  shot  should  actually  strike 
it :  the  reason  is  obvious,  in  the  one  case  the  shot,  in 
its  progress,  encounters  a  firm  object  at  aright  angle : 
or,  as  it  may  be  said,  force  meets  force,  as  the  bird 
flies  into  the  shot ;  in  the  other  case  it  is  a  race  be- 
tween the  shot  and  the  bird ;  and  though  the  shot  as- 
suredly overtakes  the  bird,  its  force  is  so  materially 
weakened  by  reason  of  both  substances  moving  rapid- 
ly in  the  same  direction,  that  it  strikes  almost  harm- 
lessly, or  at  all  events  never  goes  through  the  skin. 


HAUNTS    AND    HABITS    OF   PARTKIDGES.  125 

The  flight  of  game  is  sometimes  considerably  in- 
creased in  velocity  by  a  strong  wind,  when  the  bird 
moves  with  it :  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  flight  is 
sometimes  very  much  impeded  when  the  bird  flies 
against  wind :  the  sportsman  must  present  accord- 
ingly. 

The  flight  of  a  covey  of  partridges  varies  very  much, 
as  regards  distance,  according  to  the  country  in  which 
they  dwell.  In  level  countries  they  seldom  fly  very 
far  on  being  disturbed :  but  in  hilly  countries  they 
sometimes  fly  unaccountable  distances.  If  once  they 
acquire  the  habit  of  taking  long  flights,  they  are  sure 
to  repeat  it  on  being  much  disturbed.  In  some  places 
you  may  often  have  a  mile  or  more  to  walk  before 
reaching  them  again  ;  and  if  game  is  scarce,  sport,  in: 
such  case,  is  more  a  toil  than  a  pleasure. 


THE  HAUNTS  AND  HABITS  OF  PARTRIDGES. 

Unless  a  sportsman  knows  something  of  the  haunts 
and  habits  of  the  objects  of  his  pursuit,  his  success  is, 
of  necessity,  very  meagre. 

Partridges  are  hatched  in  the  months  of  May  and 
June  :  and  dry  warm  weather  is  most  favorable  to 
the  hatching.    The  heavy  morning  dews  are  of  great 


126  "THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

assistance  to  tb'^m  in  dry  seasons.  A  wet  June  is 
unfavorable  for  young  partridges :  the  coveys  are 
always  four>d  to  be  small  after  a  wet  hatching  season : 
and,  on  the  contrary,  the  coveys  are  large  and  strong 
if  the  season  be  dry  and  warm. 

In  the  month  of  September  they  frequent  wheat 
and  barley  sti^.bbles,  from  sunrise  till  about  nine  or 
ten  o'clock  m  the  morning  ;  after  which,  if  a  fine  day, 
they  resort  to  turnip  fields,  vetches,  and  sunny  banks 
and  places  where  they  bask.  About  three  or  four 
o'clock  \Vk  the  afternoon  they  return  to  the  stubbles, 
and  Te^PiSLin  there  till  sunset,  when  they  go  generally 
to  iho  upper  grass  lands  to  roost,  if  any  are  near  at 
ha'i>d ;  if  not  they  go  to  falloAvs,  clover  lays,  or  bar- 
l*^y  stubbles. 

On  wet  or  foggy  days  they  generally  remain  all  day 
long  in  the  stubbles,  and  driest  fields  they  can  find. 

As  a  general  rule,  they  prefer  light  land  rather 
than  heavy. 

As  the  season  advances  they  become  more  wary, 
and  are  less  regular  in  their  habits.  But  if  there  be 
moors,  grass  lands,  or  marshes  in  the  neighborhood, 
they  are  particularly  fond  of  resorting  there  at  mid- 
day, or  whenever  disturbed  in  the  corn  fields. 

In  November  and  later,  they  are  so  uncertain  in 


BEATIXG    FOR    GAME.  127 

tteir  movements  after  being  disturbed,  that  the 
sportsman  must  rely  on  his  own  knowledge  of  their 
habits,  which  always  have  reference  to  the  locality. 

About  mid-day,  and  from  that  till  two  o'clock,  is 
generally  a  doubtful  and  uncertain  time  at  which  to 
find  partridges  ;  they  go  to  the  ditches  and  lowlands 
to  drink  about  that  time,  in  dry  hot  Aveather,  At 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  run  about 
again,  particularly  if  a  breeze  springs  up  after  a  hot  day. 

In  rainy  weather,  or  when  their  feathers  are  wet, 
partridges  never  lie  well. 

Furze  and  fern  are,  in  some  districts,  favorite 
covers  for  partridges,  particularly  after  being  often 
disturbed  elsewhere. 

Partridges  like  high  hedges,  small  fields,  and  green 
crops. 


BEATIXG  FOR  GAME. 

The  term  "  beating"  implies,  in  sporting  phrase- 
ology, going  in  search  or  pursuit  of  game  with  dog 
and  gun ;  or  with  either,  singly,  or  with  one  or  more 
attendants  provided  with  staves  (or  shillelahs  as  they 
say  in  Ireland)  for  beating  the  game  out  of  its  hiding- 
place. 


128  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

It  forms,  unquestionably,  a  very  important  feature 
in  the  young  sj)ortsman's  training :  and  until  he  thor- 
oughly understands  it  he  must  not  expect  to  make  a 
heavy  bag. 

To  understand  beating  for  game,  the  sportsman 
must  know  something  of  the  haunts  of  the  objects  of 
his  pursuit ;  and  their  habits  at  different  times  of  the 
day;  and  where  and  how  to  find  them  after  they  have 
been  disturbed  two  or  three  times  in  succession. 

A  quiet,  noiseless  tread  is  essential  at  all  times  in 
beating  for  game  in  open  country;  but  in  thick  cov- 
erts noise  is  encouraged. 

Talking,  whether  to  your  companions,  beaters,  or 
dogs,  is  fatal  to  all  attempts  to  approach  game. 

The  necessity  of  observing  strict  silence,  especially 
in  partridge,  grouse,  wild-fowl,  and  snipe  shooting, 
cannot  be  too  deeply  impressed  on  the  minds  of 
young  sportsmen ;  many  of  whom,  say  what  you  will, 
insist  on  constantly  directing  their  dogs  by  speaking 
to  them  ;  whereas  the  "  dead  shot"  and  "  old  sports- 
man" are  silent,  and  direct  their  dogs  entirely  by 
waving  the  hand,  and  other  such  dumb  signals. 

Always  endeavor  to  find  your  birds  as  early  as 
possible  on  your  beat :  you  have  then  sport  before  you 
at  once ;  and  a  young  sportsman  is  more  likely  to  kill 


BEATIXG   FOR   GAME. 


129 


whilst  cool  and  collected,  than  when  tired  and 
heated. 

Beat  your  ground  closely,  more  especially  on  the 
first  part  of  your  walk :  and  always  remember  that  a 
bird  which  lies  close,  is  worth  a  whole  covey  that  is 
wild. 

The  young  sj^ortsman  may  be  assured  that  he  will 
find  it  tends  very  much  to  his  success  to  stick  to  one 
covey  as  long  as  he  can  ;  and  never  to  leave  the  sport 
in  hand  for  the  idea  that  better  may  be  found  else- 
where. The  more  he  knows  of  the  accustomed 
haunts  of  the  birds  in  any  particular  locaUty,  the  bet- 
ter will  he  be  able  to  arrange  his  beat. 

The  oftener  a  bird  is  disturbed,  the  less  will  be  the 
chance  of  bagging  it,  unless  accurately  marked  down; 
because  it  becomes  more  and  more  alarmed,  takes  a 
longer  flight  than  when  first  put  up,  and  hides  in  a 
more  improbable  spot.  An  exception  to  this  rule  is 
that  of  the  French  partridge,  which  by  being  disturb- 
ed several  times  in  succession,  seems  to  lose  its  cour- 
age, becomes  less  capable  of  evading  its  pursuers, 
and  finally  affords  the  sportsman  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity, by  rising  close  at  his  feet,  very  near  the  spot 
at  which  it  was  marked  down. 

French  partridges  have  such  a  propensity  for  run- 
6* 


130  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

ning,  before   taking   wing,  that   they  become   tired 
after  being  flushed  three  or  four  times. 

Young  sportsmen  make  a  great  omission  in  not 
beating  fallow  fields  when  in  pursuit  of  partridge- 
shooting  :  they  simply  look  over  the  hedge,  and  on 
finding  a  fallow,  they  pass  it  by  without  so  much  as 
running  the  dogs  over  it.  So  indifierent  are  some 
sportsmen  about  fallows,  that  their  dogs  become 
careless  in  their  manner  of  hunting  over  them  ;  and 
unless  pressed,  will  be  likely  to  leave  the  birds  behind, 
in  some  remote  corner  of  the  field.  Both  sportsmen 
and  dogs  think  them,  of  all  other  fields,  the  most  un- 
likely in  which  to  find  game :  whereas  they  are,  some- 
times, of  all  others  the  most  likely;  particularly  if 
late  in  the  season.  Fallow  fields  are  favorite  places 
of  resort  for  partridges,  they  delight  to  bask  there  on 
sunny  days:  and,  by  reason  of  the  color  of  their 
feathers  so  closely  resembling  the  ground,  they  feel 
themselves  safer  in  such  fields  than  elsewhere, — being 
entirely  invisible  to  human  eye  at  sixty  yards,  if  they 
remain  motionless :  besides  too,  fallow  fields  are  the 
quietest  resorts  they  can  select :  no  cattle  are  grazing 
there,  nor  are  there  any  laborers  about  them  as  in 
other  fields ;  and  if  the  enemy  should  happen  to  ap- 
proach, the  fallow  field  is  so  exposed  and  open  that 


BEATING   FALLOWS.  131 

he  may  be  detected  at  a  long  distance ;  and  then  they 
sometimes  droop  their  heads  and  run  along  the  ridges 
nnobservedly,  from  one  end  of  the  field  to  the  other. 
Generally,  ho^yever,  partridges  lie  very  close  in  fal- 
lows, and  afford  excellent  chances  to  the  sportsman. 
Many  and  many  are  the  partridges  which  an  old  sports- 
man kills  in  the  season  on  the  fallows  :  whilst  the  tyro 
seldom  deigns  to  try  them,  beyond  walking,  with  gun 
upon  his  shoulder,  from  one  corner  to  the  other  just 
to  make  a  short  cut  of  it ;  and  as  if  morally  certain 
no  sport  could  be  had  there;  instead  of  which  he 
ought  to  try  them  as  cautiously  as  the  stubbles. 

To  prove  the  utility  of  beating  fallows,  I  may  men- 
tion a  circumstance  which  occurred'  when  I  was  very 
young.  Whilst  beating  an  old  fallow,  in  company 
with  a  veteran  sportsman,  a  "  dead  shot,"  a  covey  of 
ten  partridges  got  u))  at  our  feet :  and  as  all,  or  most 
of  them,  rose  out  of  a  deep  furrow,  they  were  in  line 
with  my  friend's  aim  ;  and  he  killed,  unintentionally, 
four  with  his  first  barrel,  and  one  with  his  second ; 
and  as  I  killed  a  brace  with  two  barrels,  we  bagged 
seven  birds  out  of  the  covey ;  three  only  got  away, 
and  those  we  marked  down  and  shot  within  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  afterwards.  I  am  not  aware  that  I 
ever,  before  or  since,  saw  a  whole  covey  of  ten  birds 


132  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

bagged  in  so  short  a  time  by  two  sportsmen.  I  have 
many  times,  unintentionally,  killed  two  birds  with 
each  barrel :  and  on  such  occasions,  whenever  I  have 
had  a  bad  shot  or  a  young  sportsman  w^alking  with 
me,  who,  although  he  fired  both  barrels,  either  killed 
nothing  or  only  one  bird,  I  have  remained  quiet  and 
allowed  him  to  claim  the  credit  of  a  brace. 

On  one  occasion,  whilst  walking  with  a  veteran 
Bportsman,  a  covey  of  seven  birds  rose  in  front  of 
us ;  and  as  three  got  up  out  of  a  furrow,  a  long 
distance  in  front  of  me,  I  shot  as  they  rose,  and  killed 
all  three  with  my  first  barrel,  and  another  with  my 
second  :  my  friend  killing  one  with  his  first  and  two 
with  his  second.  Then,  turning  to  the  boy  who 
carried  the  game  bag,  and  looking  sternly  at  him, 
we  inquired  if  he  marked  those  which  flew  away  ? 
"Yes,  sir,"  said  the  cute  lad,  "I  marked  'em  all 
down,  and  so  did  you:  the  whole  covey  lie  dead 
within  fifty  yards  of  the  *  dorgs  !'  " 

Suffice  it  to  say  in  regard  to  fallows,  that  partridges 
lie  more  constantly  upon  them  than  many  sportsmen 
would  suppose :  and  late  in  the  season  the  fallows 
are  the  first  places  to  which  he  should  direct  his  steps. 
In  a  rough  old  fallow  they  often  lie  on  the  ground 

'U  almost  trodden  upon. 


BEATING    FOR    PARTRIDGES.  133 

The  manner  of  beating  a  fallow  is,  to  cross  the 
ridges  right  and  left,  not  up  and  down  in  the  track 
of  the  plough.  Birds  cannot  run  fast  across  a  rough 
fallow,  and  by  beating  it  in  the  manner  suggested, 
the  young  sportsman  will  often  find  the  birds  lie  close 
as  in  a  stubble. 

Meadow  and  grass  lands  are  also  too  frequently 
passed  over  by  young  sportsmen,  as  if  improbable 
places  in  which  to  find  game:  but  as  the  season 
advances,  they  are  among  the  most  likely  places  in 
which  to  find  partridges  at  mid-day  ;  by  which  time 
they  are  in  the  habit  of  leaving  the  uplands  and 
resorting  to  moister  and  cooler  places  ;  they  get  into 
meadows  near  the  water,  ditches,  turnip  fields,  and 
other  cool  retreats. 

Partridges  lie  so  closely  on  well-grown  grass  lands, 
that  the  sportsman  should  beat  them  well ;  and,  on 
finding  the  birds,  he  may  be  assured  of  a  fair  chance ; 
and  they  do  not  often  get  up  all  at  once  out  of  grass, 
but  singly.  If  a  covey  be  dispersed  in  the  morning, 
and  driven  into  a  grass  field,  they  will  sometimes  lie 
so  close  that  they  will  have  to  be  driven  up  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  gun.  I  have,  in  company  with  a 
friend,  killed  every  bird  in  a  covey  in  this  manner. 

When  partridges  have  been  much  persecuted,  they 


134  THE    DEAD   SHOT. 

sometimes  pitch  in  most  unaccountable  places,  such 
as  bye-lanes,  orchards,  and  even  public  highways. 
Every  sportsman  of  a  few  years'  experience  must 
often  have  been  surprised  at  the  strange  places  from 
which  partridges  sometimes  spring,  perhaps  just  at 
his  feet,  and  at  a  moment  when  he  is  least  expecting 
to  find  them.  It  shows  that  he  should  always  be 
upon  his  guard,  for  sometimes,  when  not  in  the  least 
anticipating  sport,  he  is  the  more  likely  to  meet 
with  it. 

Newly  made  plantations  of  young  trees,  w^here 
there  is  long  grass  at  the  bottom,  are  extremely 
favorable  and  likely  resorts  of  partridges ;  they  go  in 
search  of  seeds  and  insects,  which  are  generally 
abundant  there  ;  and  when  the  birds  have  been  much 
persecuted  during  the  morning,  they  are  very  fond  of 
hiding  in  such  places. 

It  is  a  sound  rule  in  partridge-shooting,  that  when- 
ever a  single  bird  is  marked  down  with  certainty,  it 
should  be  searched  for  until  found.  By  firmly 
adhering  to  this  rule,  more  Ibirds  Avill  be  bagged  in 
the  end,  time  will  be  saved,  and  the  dogs  acquire 
a  confidence  in  their  masters'  apparently  superior 
knowledge  of  the  whereabouts  of  game. 

When  a  sportsman  has  been  unsuccessful  in  finding 


DOUBLE-BEATING. 


135 


birds  during  the  morning,  and  has  traversed  a  wide 
extent  of  country  which  he  knows  to  harbor  several 
coveys,  he  cannot  do  better  than  "  double  beat," 
i.  e.^  try  the  same  ground  over  again,  but  more 
carefully ;  when,  as  an  almost  invariable  rule,  he  finds 
plenty  of  sport.  Facts  of  this  sort  seem,  at  first 
sight,  difficult  to  account  for,  but  on  reflection  and 
experience  they  will  be  found  correct. 

I  have  known  instances  in  which  an  old  sportsman 
has  followed  a  young  one  over  the  same  beat  two 
hours  later  in  the  day,  and  killed  a  good  bag  of 
game ;  w^hilst  the  young  one  has  killed  only  a 
brace ;  and  stated,  besides,  that  he  saw  "  only  one 
covey." 

In  beating  for  game  the  sportsman  should  always 
give  his  dogs  the  benefit  of  the  wind,  if  ever  so  soft 
an  air,  by  entering  upon  his  beat  from  a  leewardmost 
quarter,  and  w^orking  each  field  up  wind  or  by  a  side 
wind ;  either  of  which  are  favorable  to  the  dogs  and 
the  success  of  the  shooter. 

In  foggy  weather  partridges  lie  close,  and  do  not 
run  about  much,  they  are  then  apt  to  be  passed  over 
unless  the  sportsman  tries  his  ground  carefully. 

In  hilly  countries,  whether  in  pursuit  of  partridges, 
grouse,   pheasants,  or  woodcocks,   always   beat   the 


136  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

hills  first,  in  order  to  find  the  game ;  then  mark  them 
down  into  the  nether-lands  and  go  and  kill  them. 


PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  season  partridge-shooting 
is  simple  enough ;  the  birds  are  young  and  immature, 
and  have  not  the  strength  of  wing  and  power  of 
flight  to  enable  them  to  offer  any  other  than  easy 
shots  to  the  sportsman ;  but  after  they  are  full  grown 
and  full  feathered,  and  have  become  strong  on  the 
wing  and  wild  through  the  incessant  persecution  to 
which  they  are  subject,  then  the  vexation  and  dis- 
appointment of  young  sportsmen  commences ;  on 
account  of  the  difficulty  they  experience  in  hitting 
the  objects  of  their  aim.  The  birds  having  become 
wary  and  suspicious,  they  will  not  allow  the  pointer 
to  approach  within  thirty  yards  or  more,  before  they 
rise  up  in  the  air,  perpendicularly,  with  startling 
suddenness  and  velocity ;  and  then  dart  off  (rising  all 
the  while)  with  wondrous  power  of  flight,  borne  on 
swifter  wings,  and  urged  through  fear  and  haste  to 
flee  the  suspected  danger  ;  then  it  is  that  the  young 
sportsman's    skill    is    truly  tested ;    shooting    then 


PAETRIDGE-SHOOTTNG.  137 

becomes  a  most  interesting  art,  and  not  one,  nor 
two,  nor  even  three  seasons  will  suffice  to  make  him  a 
"  dead  shot,"  without  a  careful  study  of  the  theory 
and  practice  of  the  art. 

Nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  is  plenty  soon  enough 
to  begin  a  day's  partridge-shooting ;  and  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  is  quite  late  enough  to  continue  it  in 
cool  autumn  weather ;  except  during  the  hot  days  of 
September,  when  the  sport  may  sometimes  be  pro- 
longed till  six  o'clock. 

It  breaks  the  haunts  of  the  birds,  and  makes  them 
very  wild,  to  shoot  at  later  hours  ;  and  it  is,  besides, 
the  certain  means  of  driving  them  away  to  your 
neighbor. 

From  three  to  half-past  five,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
season,  is  often  the  best  time  for  filling  the  game  bag ; 
the  birds  are  then  very  much  scattered,  and  are  run- 
ning about  in  search  of  food. 

When  shot  at  in  early  season,  partridges  always  fly 
to  turnips  or  mangold- wurtzel  if  near  at  hand. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  afternoon  shooting,  from 
two  o'clock  to  four,  is  considerably  better  than  that 
between  half-past  eleven  and  two  ;  though  from  nine 
to  eleven  in  the  morning  is  a  very  favorable  time ; 
much,  however,  depends  on  the  state  of  the  weather, 


138  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

the  scent,  and  still  more  on  the  sportsman's  mode  of 
beating. 

After  heavy  rains  have  subsided  and  the  turnip 
tops  become  dry  again,  birds  lie  very  close  on  being 
driven  into  a  turnip  field. 

In  damp  or  cloudy  weather  the  scent  is  always 
strong  and  good,  but  in  dry  or  hot  weather  it  is 
feeble  and  bad.  Just  before  and  after  rain  it  is 
invariably  strong.  In  very  windy  weather  it  is 
uncertain.  During  white  frosts  it  is  generally  good, 
but  in  hard  dry  frosts,  with  east  wind,  the  scent  is 
feeble. 

Always  give  a  dog  the  benefit  of  the  wind ;  that 
is,  hunt  him  towards  the  wind,  not  with  it.  By  this 
means  the  dog  will  be  enabled  to  find  more  game,  and 
the  birds  will  lie  better. 

The  young  sportsman  will  find  that  birds  lie  very 
much  better  if  he  can  head  them,  that  is,  judiciously 
place  himself  in  such  a  position  that  they  lie  between 
himself  and  the  dog.  This  manoeuvre  is  not  always 
practicable,  but  when  it  is  so,  and  the  birds  are  wild, 
he  will  find  the  advantage  of  it.  But  do  not  attempt 
to  head  your  game  too  often,  as  they  may  be  running ; 
and  never  do  so  except  with  a  steady  old  dog  that  is 
"  up  to  the  dodge." 


PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING.  139 

It  improves  the  hand,  the  nerve,  the  confidence, 
and  consequently  the  shooting,  to  use  the  gun  freely  : 
do  not  pick  or  spare  the  shots  if  you  wish  to  become 
a  "  dead  shot."  Many  persons,  through  fear  of  being 
taken  for  muffs,  wait  for  good  chances ;  and,  as  these 
are  always  few  and  far  between,  where  game  is 
scarce,  an  inferior  shot,  by  banging  oftener,  and  at 
doubtful  chances,  beats  the  better  shot,  who  makes  a 
too  careful  selection. 

It  must,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is  a 
difference  between  using  the  gun  freely,  and  firing 
indiscriminately  at  every  head  of  game  that  rises, 
regardless  of  distances  and  improbabilities. 

If  the  mind  becomes  agitated  on  the  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  game,  the  sportsman  so  affected  cannot 
shoot  with  certainty. 

At  an  advanced  period  of  the  season  every  bird  is 
watchful  as  a  sentry,  and  extremely  suspicious  of  the 
approach  of  man  or  dog ;  then,  to  my  mind,  the 
sport  of  partridge-shooting  is  sport  indeed ;  and  a 
brace  of  birds  bagged  in  those  days  is  worth  two 
brace  of  September  birds  ;  being  full  grown  they  are 
full  flavored  ;  and  the  sportsman  haying  presented  all 
his  friends  with  game,  then  takes  care  of  himself  I 
will  not  say  satisfied  his  friends,  because  to  satisfy 


140  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

them  all  would  be  impossible, — some  of  the  most 
craviog  being  like  the  horseleech,  crying  "  Give ! 
give !"  from  September  to  February.  I  knew  one 
covetous  old  bachelor  with  whom,  if  ever  I  left  any 
thing  less  than  a  leash,  he  always  said,  "  Ah !  yes  ! 
very  kind  of  you,  sir;  but  where's  the  other  bird  ?" 

The  number  of  birds  bagged  by  a  bad  shot,  at 
an  advanced  period  of  the  season,  is  always  very 
few ;  particularly  in  a  country  where  game  is  not 
over  abundant.  Then  is  the  time  when  you  see  the 
boasted  "dead  shot"  who  "never  misses,"  firing 
away  powder  and  shot  without  adding  to  the  game 
bag.  The  best  skill  of  the  best  shots  is  required  in 
partridge-shooting  when  the  season  is  far  advanced, 
and  the  birds  have  become  truly  wild  :  for  then,  both 
with  skill  and  experience  combined,  the  sportsman 
often  fails  to  bring  home  a  bag  that  is  satisfactory  to 
himself  or  his  friends. 

When  birds  are  very  wild,  the  sportsman  must  be 
doubly  vigilant,  and  never  off  his  guard  ;  but  always 
ready  to  fire  within  a  few  moments  of  their  rising 
from  the  ground.  He  should  shoot  whilst  they  are 
rising,  and  before  they  are  well  on  the  wing.  The 
chances  of  killing  are  then  very  much  in  the  sports- 
man's favor ;  because  the  birds  look  larger,  and  are 


PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING.  141 

more  exposed  to  the  effects  of  the  shot,  by  reason  of 
their  feathers  being  "  all  abroad,"  and  the  vulnerable 
parts  exposed  ;  and  besides,  too,  the  shot  strikes  with 
double  force  whilst  the  bird  meets  it  on  rising  in  the 
air,  to  what  it  does  when  the  shot  overtakes  it  flying 
swiftly  away. 

When  partridges  are  wild,  if  you  expect  to  make 
a  double  shot,  and  bag  a  brace  •  out  of  the  covey,  be 
quick  with  your  first  shot.  Killing  double  shots  in 
style,  when  birds  are  wild,  is  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished features  of  good  shooting. 

The  distinguishing  marks  and  tests  by  which  young 
partridges  may  be  known  from  old  ones  are  these :  in 
young  birds  the  bill  is  brown,  and  the  legs  of  a  dusky 
yellow  :  in  old  birds  the  bill  and  legs  are  of  a  bluish 
white,  the  legs  being  a  shade  darker  than  the  bill. 

Another  test  is  that  of  suspending  the  bird  by  the 
lower  mandible  of  its  bill,  holding  it  between  the 
finger  and  thumb ;  if  the  mandible  bends,  it  is  a 
young  bird;  but  if  the  weight  of  the  bird's  body 
fails  to  bend  the  mandible,  it  is  an  old  one.  These 
tests,  however,  like  all  others,  cannot  generally  be  de- 
pended on  after  the  month  of  November ;  because 
the  young  ones  for  the  most  part  have,  by  that  time, 
attained  a  precise  similarity  to  the  parent  birds. 


142  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

It  is  indispensably  necessary  in  order  to  keep  up  a 
stock  of  game,  that  the  vermin  should  be  destroyed. 
Every  stoat,  weasel,  polecat,  rat,  hedgehog,  hawk, 
magpie,  raven,  jay,  and  other  destructive  creature, 
should  be  killed  whenever  seen  on  the  estate  ;  and 
their  nests  and  young  searched  for  and  destroyed.  It 
is,  assuredly,  one  of  the  principal  secrets  of  keeping 
up  a  stock  of  game.  If  a  manor  be  watched  ever  so 
strictly,  unless  the  vermin  are  kept  down,  there  will  be 
no  stock  of  game.  Consider  for  a  moment,  if  there 
be  seven  weasels  on  the  manor;  and  at  the  most 
moderate  calculation,  if  each  weasel  kills  only  one 
head  of  game  in  each  week,  throughout  the  year, 
that  is  365  head  of  game  per  annum  to  the  account 
weasels  alone !  and  others  might  be  estimated  in  like 
proportion;  to  say  nothing  of  the  tenfold  mischief 
during  the  season  of  incubation,  when  partridges  and 
pheasants  are  seized  by  these  blood-suckers  whilst 
sitting  on  their  eggs. 


COVEYS    OF    PARTRIDGES. 

Young  sportsmen,  in  their  eagerness  to  fill  the 
game  bag,  are  too  often  guilty  of  the  wanton  and 
erroneous  indiscretion  of  firing  into  a  covey  of  par- 


I 


COVEY&  OF   PARTRIDGES.  143 

tridges  without  aim  at  any  one  bird  ;  feeling  certain 
of  killing  two  or  three  at  the  learft  hat  very  often 
killing  none,  though  wounding  gcverah  Such  an 
indiscriminate  proceeding  I  need  scarcely  say  is  as 
unsportsmanlike  and  injudicious  as  it  is  cruel  and 
unsatisfactory  in  its  results.  It  u  the  central  shots  of 
the  charge  which  are  the  effective  ones ;  and  they 
cover  only  so  small  a  space  in  their  flight,  that  in  the 
absence  of  deliberate  aim,  the  chances  are  more  than 
two  or  three  to  one  against  killing  any  out  of  a  covey 
of  ten  or  fifteen,  unless  they  happen  to  rise  "  all  in  a 
heap,"  which  is  seldom. 

And,  as  young  sportsmen  generally  fire  too  soon, 
forgetting  that  the  shot  is  more  effective  at  a  fair 
distance  than  if  either  too  near  or  too  far ;  the  fact 
that  the  whole  covey  often  flies  away,  notwithstand- 
ing that  both  barrels  have  been  fired  into  it,  is  easily 
to  be  accounted  for. 

The  sportsman  should  always  endeavor  to  pick  out 
the  old  birds  of  the  covey,  particularly  in  early 
season,  when  they  are  easily  distinguished  from  the 
young  ones  by  their  larger  size,  and  by  their  being 
the  first  to  rise.  The  young  birds  of  the  covey  do 
not  so  soon  become  wild  and  cunning,  if  deprived  of 
their  leaders. 


144 


THE   DEAD   SHOT. 


On  a  covey  of  partridges  rising  in  front  of  the 
shooter,  he  should  not  fire  at  the  nearest  of  the  covey 
with  his  first  barrel,  but  rather  select,  as  the  object  of 
his  aim,  the  farthest  or  leading  bird ;  he  will  then  have 
plenty  of  time  to  choose  his  second  shot.  The  sports- 
man shows  good  judgment  in  reserving  a  near  bird 
for  his  second  barrel. 

It  is  discreditable  to  a  sportsman  to  shoot  more 
than  one  bird  at  a  time  with  each  barrel ;  unless  by 
chance  another  crosses  the  one  he  aims  at  just  at  the 
moment  of  pulling  trigger. 

Having  selected  one  of  the  leading  birds  of  the 
covey  as  the  object  of  your  aim,  keep  your  eye 
upon  it  until  it  falls  to  your  shot ;  and  though  forty 
others  rise  in  front  of  you,  do  not  allow  your  atten- 
tion to  be  diverted  towards  them  until  you  have 
killed  the  bird  you  propose  shooting ;  if  you  miss  it, 
fire  the  second  barrel  at  the  same  bird,  lest  it  should 
go  away  wounded. 

In  course  of  time  (though  books  may  fail  to  make 
the  impression)  the  young  sportsman  will  find  from 
experience,  that  in  order  to  make  sure  of  bagging 
any  at  all  out  of  a  covey,  he  must  fix  his  eye  steadily 
and  deliberately  on  one  bird  at  a  time;  and  the 
instant  that  one  falls  to  his  first  barrel,  fix  the  eye  on 


I 

I 


DISPERSED   COVEYS.  145 

another,  and  with  the  same  deliberate  steadiness  re- 
peated, another  falls  to  his  second  barrel,  and  so  he 
bags  a  brace  with  certainty. 

If  a  covey  be  lost  in  the  month  of  September,  the 
sportsman  may  be  assured  it  is  not  far  off,  but  lies 
close,  and  very  probably  he  has  overrun  it 


DISPERSED  COYETS. 

One  of  the  secrets  of  success  in  making  up  a  good 
bag  in  a  country  where  game  is  scarce,  is  that  of 
dispersing  a  covey ;  and  then  cai-efully  marking  the 
birds  down,  and  flushing  them  singly. 

The  manner  in  which  a  covey  may  be  dispersed  is 
this : — when  the  dog  stands,  walk  round  in  an  ex- 
tensive circle,  and  then  advance  in  the  face  of  the 
dog,  the  birds  lying  between ;  when  they  rise,  some 
will  fly, in  one  direction  and  some  in  another,  and 
sometimes  almost  every  bird  will  take  a  separate 
route.  The  experiment,  however,  is  not  always  suc- 
cessful, particularly  when  the  birds  are  very  wild, 
though  at  other  times  it  is  easy  enough.  It  should 
never  be  attempted  with  any  but  an  old  or  very 
steady  dog. 

Instinct  teaches  partridges  to  disperse  for  their  own 
7 


146  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

safety,  when  they  have  been  shot  at  two  or  three 
times  in  succession. 

If  you  succeed  in  dispersing  the  co\^ey,  you  Avill 
find  it  necessary  to  beat  for  them  very  closely :  dis- 
persed birds  lie  "  like  stones  on  the  ground,"  to  use 
a  common  phrase ;  and  in  general  they  do  not  run  or 
move  after  alighting ;  but  drop,  as  it  were,  into  a 
hiding-place ;  so  that  the  dogs  are  unable  to  wind 
them,  except  by  passing  within  a  few  inches  of  their 
retreat. 

A  dispersed  covey  affords  the  partridge -shooter 
the  finest  sport  he  can  wish  for ;  particularly  among 
tufts  of  long  coarse  grass,  fern,  rushes,  or  some  such 
cover,  into  which  the  birds  pitch  and  squat  until 
fairly  kicked  out ;  whilst  the  dog  stands  pointing  in 
the  most  firm  and  interesting  manner,  the  bird  often 
being  within  a  few  inches  of  the  animaPs  nose. 

The  mistake  of  young  sportsmen  at  these,  the 
easiest  shots  he  can  possibly  hope  for,  is,  that  he  shoots 
too  soon,  and  so  either  misses  the  bird  entirely,  or 
cuts  it  all  to  pieces, 

"Spite  of  the  rules  of  art  he  must  let  fly, 
In  one  of  two  extremes — ^too  far  or  else  too  nigh." 

There  are  certain  peculiarities  belonging  to  dispersed 


DISPERSED   COVEYS. 


147 


coveys  which  it  is  important  to  the  young  sportsman 
to  notice.  If  the  covey  be  dispersed  in  the  month  of 
October,  they  generally  squat  several  hours  in  their 
lurking-place ;  but  they  will  not  lie  so  long  in  the 
month  of  September ;  and  in  wet  weather  they  squat 
only  a  very  short  time,  but  often  commence  piping  to 
their  mates  after  having  squatted  a  few  minutes. 

"When  dispersed  at  mid-day,  or  during  very  hot 
weather,  they  are  hkely  to  lie  quietly  in  their  places 
of  concealment  several  hours ;  particularly  if  they  have 
chosen  the  long  cool  grass  of  a  fen  or  meadow ;  it  is 
therefore  necessary  to  search  longer  and  beat  much 
closer  than  during  cool  weather. 

If  the  covey  is  dispersed  early  in  the  morning,  it 
will  assuredly  reassemble  within  a  short  time,  and 
the  same  if  dispersed  late  in  the  evening. 

When  closely  pursued  and  often  disturbed,  they 
sometimes  drop  into  the  most  improbable  places. 
Many  a  good  stray  shot  is  unexpectedly  made  in  this 
manner,  at  some  straggler  which  has  deserted  the 
covey. 


148  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 


TOWERING. 


Towering  is  one  of  those  curious  and  interesting 
phenomena  which,  though  singular  to  behold,  is  puz- 
zling alike  to  the  sportsman  and  naturalist.  It  is 
more  frequently  met  with  in  partridge-shooting  than 
in  any  other  sport.  Towering  is  the  last  gasp  or 
death-struggle  of  a  dying  bird  when  mortally  wound- 
ed in  some  peculiar  manner;  though  the  precise 
nature  and  locality  of  the  wound,  which  affects  the 
bird  so  remarkably  as  to  incite  it  to  such  an  extraor- 
dinary and  beautiful  effort  in  its  dying  moments,  has 
never  been  ascertained  with  sufficient  certainty  to 
satisfy  the  curious  inquirer. 

It  occurs  in  this  way :  the  bird  after  being  mor- 
tally wounded,  flies  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  a 
horizontal  line  ;  and  then,  by  a  sudden  effort  and  pe- 
culiar flutter  of  its  wings,  combined  with  a  strong 
muscular  exertion  made  in  its  dying  moments,  darts 
up  in  the  air,  several  yards  apparently,  in  a  true  per- 
pendicular line,  with  its  neck  extended,  beak  point- 
ing upwards,  and  wings  drooping  at  its  side ;  when, 
being  dead,  it  falls  as  a  stone  to  the  ground. 

There  is  no  motion  of  the  bird's  wings  as  it  rises 


TOWERING.  149 

perpendicularly ;  having  gained  an  impetus  by  the 
peculiar  but  desperate  flutter  before  referred  to. 
The  position  it  takes  in  towering  is  precisely  that  of 
a  dead  bird  when  suspended  by  its  beak ;  with  the 
exception  only,  that  the  feet  do  not  hang  down,  but 
are  drawn  up  close  to  the  breast. 

It  has  often  been  the  subject  of  discussion  and 
speculation  among  sportsmen  and  naturalists,  as  to 
what  it  is  that  causes  a  bird  to  tower  ;  or  rather,  in 
what  particular  part  the  bird  receives  its  mortal 
wound,  so  as  to  cause  it  to  perform  so  pretty  an 
evolution  in  the  air. 

Some  say  it  only  occurs  when  the  bird  receives  a 
shot  in  the  head  or  brain  ;  others  affirm  that  it  arises 
from  a  shot  going  through  the  liver  ;  others  from  a 
wound  in  the  spine ;  but  without  asserting  any  thing 
positive  upon  so  truly  scientific  an  inquiry,  I  am  dis- 
posed to  think  it  arises  from  a  mortal  wound  in  one 
of  the  main  arteries  of  the  heart.  The  throat  and 
beak  of  birds  which,  in  my  experience,  have  fallen 
dead  after  towering,  I  have  generally  found  fulF  of 
blood. 

When  birds  are  struck  by  a  shot  in  the  eyes,  and 
half  or  wholly  blinded,  they  sometimes  hover  and 
twist  about  in  a  very  grotesque  manner ;  or  soar  up 


150  THE   DEAt>    SHOT. 

high  in  the  air,  and  then  fall  to  the  ground  with 
wings  extended,  and  not  unfrequently  head  fore- 
most ;  but  that  is  not  towering ;  a  towering  bird  dies 
in  the  air  ;  it  is  only  in  its  death-struggle  that  a  bird 
actually  towers ;  and  when  it  does  so,  it  assuredly 
falls  to  the  ground  dead. 

I  have  seen  wounded  wild-fowl  swim  round  and 
round  on  the  water  in  small  circles,  as  if  in  great 
agony ;  and  on  capturing  them  have  found  them 
blinded  in  one  or  both  eyes,  and  bleeding  from  the 
head  and  eyes,  with  no  other  wound  about  them ;  a 
single  shot  having  struck  the  bird  in  the  eye  and 
gone  through  its  head. 

I  have  sometimes  seen  wounded  partridges  soar 
Very  high  in  the  air,  as  if  in  imitation  of  the  act  of 
towering,  and  then  fall  to  the  ground,  but  not  head 
foremost ;  nor  have  they  risen  up  in  the  air  in  that 
true  perpendicular  line  which  the  towering  bird 
takes,  nor  have  they  always  fallen  lifeless  :  on  the 
contrary,  I  have  occasionally  seen  such  birds  get  up 
again  and  fly  away.  But  this  is  not  towering.  The 
true  towering  of  a  dying  bird  is  a  very  interesting 
sight,  and  no  one  who  has  ever  seen  it  would  mistake 
it  for  the  mock  tower  of  a  wounded  bird. 

Whenever  a  bird  towers,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the 


FEENCH   PARTKIDGES. 


151 


word,  it  falls  to  the  ground  dead ;  and  the  sports- 
man may  generally  find  it  lying  on  its  back. 

Towering  birds  are  sometimes  very  difficult  to 
find ;  particularly  if  they  fly  across  a  field  or  two 
before  towering,  which  is  very  often  the  case.  And 
there  being  no  scent  to  help  the  dogs,  except  at  the 
exact  spot  where  the  bird  falls,  the  retrieving  a 
towered  bird  depends  entirely  on  the  accurate  mark- 
ing of  the  sportsman  or  his  attendants. 

As  a  reliable  and  invariable  rule,  a  towered  bird 
never  falls  so  far  off  as  it  appears  to  do  to  the  hu- 
man eye, 

FRENCH    PARTRIDGES. 


Very  little  has  ever  been  written  on  the  subject  of 
shooting  the  red-legged  or  French  partridge.  The 
reason  is,  probably,  that  but  few  of  the  authors  of 
books  on  shooting  have  ever  met  with  them.  In- 
deed, most  of  our  counties  are  entirely  free  of  the 
nuisance  of  French  partridges,  though  I  am  sorry  to 
say  they  are  nearly  as  numerous  in  some  parts  of 
Essex,  Norfolk,  and  Suffolk,  as  English  partridges. 

It  appears  that  French  partridges  were  first  intro- 
duced to  this  country  by  the  late  Earl  of  Rochford, 


152  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

who  lived  at  St.  Osyth  Priory,  in  Essex ;  and  the 
Marquis  of  Hertford,  who  had  estates  in  Suffolk; 
both  of  whom  imported  hundreds  of  eggs,  as  well  as 
large  numbers  of  the  birds,  which  were  distributed 
over  their  estates  ;  and  in  course  of  a  few  years  they 
became  very  numerous.  The  late  Duke  of  Nor- 
thumberland also  hatched  and  preserved  them  on 
his  estates. 

The  favorite  localities  of  French  partridges  are  hills 
and  fallows  ;  and  in  winter  they  often  take  refuge  in 
woods  and  thick-set  hedges,  particularly  when  closely 
pursued,  or  when  the  snow  lies  thickly  upon  the 
ground. 

In  the  west  of  England  there  are  none,  or  at  least 
they  are  among  the  rara  avis  tribe.  It  is  probable 
that  this  may  not  be  the  case  many  years  longer,  as 
they  are  decidedly  increasing  in  numbers;  and  are 
gradually  creeping  into  neighboring  counties.  Those 
who  wish  to  be  rid  of  them  should  destroy  their 
nests  in  spring,  and  kill  the  old  birds  during  deep 
snows ;  when  they  are  unable  to  run,  but  hide  in  the 
hedge  rows  and  neighboring  woods. 

A  wet  egging  season  is  even  more  unfavorable  to 
the  hatching  of  French  partridges  than  of  English 
ones.     The  French  birds  will  not  sit  long  on  their 


I 


FRENCH   PARTRIDGES.  153 

eggs  in  wet  weather,  if  exposed  to  the  rain ;  they 
appear  to  lack  the  courage  or  endurance  of  Enghsh 
birds  ;  and  so  forsake  their  eggs,  and  take  shelter  in 
the  hedges.  I  found  many  nests  of  forsaken  eggs  of 
French  partridges  last  season  (September  and  Octo- 
ber, 1860),  in  the  eastern  counties,  some  of  them  in 
an  advanced  state  of  incubation. 

At  the  present  day,  French  partridges  are  looked 
upon  by  almost  every  sportsman  as  a  nuisance  ;  and 
the  flavor  of  their  flesh  as  inferior  to  that  of  the 
English  partridge.  They  never  lie  well  in  the  fields  ; 
but  baffle  both  the  cunning  of  the  dogs  and  the  skill 
of  the  sportsman,  especially  any  one  unaccustomed  to 
their  habits. 

If  on  entering  a  field  the  dog  stands  at  a  covey  of 
French  partridges,  the  sportsman  may  be  assured 
they  will  run  some  distance  before  getting  up, 
probably  across  the  field,  and  then  rise  a  long  way 
out  of  range ;  and  so  they  spoil  the  dog,  make  him 
unsteady,  over-anxious,  and  doubtful,  with  English 
birds,  which  would  otherwise  lie  well ;  but  the  dog, 
fancying  they  are  going  to  run,  like  French  birds, 
across  the  field,  in  his  attempts  to  follow  them,  puts 
them  up  before  the  sportsman  approaches.  French 
birds  are  always  reluctant  to  fly  until  they  have  run 


154  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

a  long  distance,  sometimes  across  two  or  three  fields  ; 
and  it  is  only  by  a  thorough  knowledge  of  their 
habits,  and  by  cunning  and  perseverance,  that  a 
sportsman  can  get  a  shot  at  them.  Often  when  you 
think  they  have  all  left  the  field,  they  get  up  one  at  a 
time  near  the  fence,  close  by  you,  behind  you,  and 
everywhere  but  where  you  expect  to  see  them; 
rising  as  noiselessly  as  possible,  and  very  difierent  to 
English  partridges,  which  generally  give  a  startling 
warning  when  they  get  up,  such  as  may  be  heard 
across  the  whole  field  or  further. 

When  much  persecuted,  French  partridges  soon 
give  in ;  probably  they  run  so  much  when  pursued, 
that  they  tire  themselves ;  and  so  a  bold  start  often 
ends  in  a  cowardly  resignation  by  the  bird  hiding  in 
a  ditch. 


HOW  TO  SHOOT  FRENCH  PARTRIDGES. 

Having  given  a  brief  history  of  the  nature  and 
habits  of  French  jDartridges,  I  will  now  proceed  to 
instruct  the  young  sportsman  as  to  the  best  mode  of 
shooting  them. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  shooting  season  the  young 
French  birds  may  be  killed  with  the  same  facility  as 


SHOOTING  FKEXCH  PAETRIDGES.        155 

English  partridges ;  but,  on  arriving  at  maturity,  they 
inherit  all  the  cunning  of  the  old  birds  ;  and  unless 
they  can  be  driven  into  clover-seed,  thick  stubble,  or 
some  such  cover,  where  they  cannot  run  far,  they  are 
difficult  to  get  at.  In  mangold  wurtzel  and  turnips, 
they  will  run  across  the  field,  in  the  furrows,  just  as 
quickly  as  if  it  were  a  barren  plain. 

The  best  plan  is,  as  the  season  advances,  for  two  or 
more  sportsmen  to  go  together  in  pursuit  of  French 
partridges ;  and  enter  the  field  at  the  same  time,  but 
in  opposite  directions,  one  at  each  end,  and  both 
walking  towards  the  centre  of  the  field ;  this  plan 
generally  succeeds,  because  the  birds,  by  running  from 
one  sportsman  encounter  the  other ;  and  very  often 
both  obtain  good  shots,  and  thoroughly  disperse  the 
covey.  The  scheme  answers  best  on  marking  a  covey 
into  a  field  of  turnips  or  beet-root,  or  any  good  ground 
cover. 

But  young  sportsmen  must  be  cautious  not  to  shoot 
each  other,  nor  to  fire  in  any  direction  towards  his 
companion,  who  may  be  approaching  from  an  oppo- 
site direction ;  and  never  attempt  this  manoeuvre  in 
a  hilly  field,  nor  on  any  but  open  ground,  where  each 
sportsman  can  see  the  other  all  the  while. 

There  is  one  branch  of  the  sport  of  French  par- 


156  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

tridge-shooting  which  affords  splendid  practice,  aud 
that  is,  when  the  snow  hes  thickly  on  the  ground  in 
new-fallen  flakes.  At  such  a  time  the  birds  are  en- 
tirely at  the  mercy  of  the  sportsman ;  they  cannot 
run  far  in  the  snow,  consequently  are  deprived  of  the 
very  means  of  using  their  cunning,  and  they  hide  in 
the  fences,  where  they  may  be  easily  traced,  turned 
out,  and  shot. 

The  proper  way  is  for  two  sportsmen  to  walk 
quietly,  one  on  each  side  the  fence,  with  a  couple  of 
dogs  and  beaters ;  the  birds  are  then  put  up  directly 
in  front  of  the  sportsmen ;  each  of  whom  confines  his 
shooting  to  his  own  side  of  the  fence.  French  par- 
tridges may  be  driven  out  in  this  manner,  and  killed 
with  certainty,  by  the  most  ordinary  shot. 

An  experienced  sportsman  will  sometimes  kill  as 
many  in  a  good  deep  snow,  as  on  the  first  day  of  the 
shooting  season ;  and  many  prefer  the  winter  sport 
to  the  best  day  in  the  whole  month  of  September  :  it 
is,  truly,  fine  practice  where  the  birds  are  numerous ; 
and  no  matter  how  wild  they  have  previously  been, 
the  snow  so  completely  tames  and  deprives  them  of 
the  use  of  their  legs,  that  they  fall  easy  victims.  Try 
nothing  but  the  fences  and  small  copses ;  and  take 
care  to  mark  those  down  which  fly  away. 


LAND-RAILS. 


157 


The  sportsman  always  rejoices  at  the  victory  which 
a  heavy  fall  of  snow  enables  him  to  make  over  these 
troublesome  birds. 

He  should  take  care  to  be  out  on  an  expedition  of 
this  kind  as  early  in  the  morning  as  possible ;  and  the 
birds  are  sure  to  be  found  in  the  fences.  If  he  is  de- 
sirous of  exterminating  the  race  of  French  partridges 
on  his  estate,  a  week's  continuance  of  deep  snows  will 
afford  him  every  opportunity  of  so  doing :  the  pre- 
viously wild  and  unapproachable  species  can  be  ad- 
vanced upon  as  they  skulk  in  the  fences,  and  driven 
out  at  the  sportsman's  feet ;  they  are  thus  entirely  at 
his  mercy,  if  he  be  only  a  tolerable  shot :  they  are 
deprived  of  the  very  secret  of  their  cunning  and 
means  of  evasion,  which  lies  entirely  in  their  legs. 

The  sportsman  should  spare  his  English  birds  in 
deep  snows,  if  he  wishes  to  preserve  them ;  and  keep 
down  the  race  of  the  French. 


LAND-RAILS. 


These  birds  are  more  abundant  in  some  counties, 
and  in  some  seasons,  than  in  others :  they  are  deHcious 
eating,  though  but  little  larger  than  a  snipe. 

Generally  speaking  they  are  very  easy  shots  ;  they 


158  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

fly  SO  beautifully  slow  and  steady  that  no  sportsman 
ought  ever  to  miss  a  fair  chance.  They  lie  remarka- 
bly well,  and  sometimes  rise  close  at  the  nose  of  the 
dog ;  at  other  times  they  run  some  distance  before 
getting  up. 

Take  time,  and  be  steady  in  presenting,  and  the 
bird  is  yours. 

On  being  fired  at  and  missed,  it  is  very  difficult  to 
get  them  up  a  second  time ;  they  run  and  hide  in  long 
grass,  ditches,  or  whatever  cover  may  be  at  hand. 
They  frequently  submit  to  be  caught  alive  by  the 
dog,  rather  than  risk  a  second  flight  within  a  short 
time. 

Though  a  land-rail  is  remarkably  fine  eating  when 
nicely  dressed,  sportsmen  who  are  familiar  with  their 
habits  seldom  trouble  themselves  to  follow  them 
with  the  intention  of  putting  them  up  a  second  time, 
particularly  if  other  game  is  at  hand.  Unless  the  bird 
is  killed  when  first  flushed,  he  prefers  leaving  it  till 
another  day,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  wasting  half 
an  hour  or  more  in  endeavoring  to  turn  it  out  of  a 
thick-set  fence  or  ditch. 


GEOUSE-SHOOTING. 


159 


GROUSE-SHOOTING, 


This  sport,  as  every  one  knows,  commences  in 
England  and  Scotland  on  the  12th  of  August,  and  in 
Ireland  on  the  20th  of  August;  it  ends  on  the  10th 
of  December. 

Grouse-shooting  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  re- 
creations with  dog  and  gun :  at  the  same  time  it  is 
an  exceedingly  laborious  one  on  any  other  than  well- 
stocked  moors  ;  and,  happily  for  those  who  possess 
them,  there  are  many  moors  in  Scotland  with  which 
I  am  familiar,  where  grouse  are  as  abundant  in  Au- 
gust as  partridges  are  in  September,  on  the  most 
strictly  preserved  manors  in  any  county  in  England. 
There,  are,  however,  I  regret  to  say,  many  thousand 
acres  of  heather  in  Scotland,  where  the  familiar  note 
of  the  grouse  is  seldom  heard,  and  where  the  weary 
sportsman  toils  hard  for  sport,  but  alas  !  the  moor  is 
barren  of  the  attractive  objects  of  his  search.  The 
poachers  have  so  many  devices  for  taking  them,  and 
cheap  guns  have  been  so  freely  circulated  among  the 
people,  that  where  there  are  no  vigilant  gamekeepers, 
the  poachers  take  the  cream  of  the  sport,  and  skim 
the  moors  before  the  English  sportsman  arrives. 


160  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

Grouse  require  quite  as  careful  watching  as  pheas- 
ants and  partridges,  or  the  sportsman  will  find  him- 
self disappointed  with  his  sport. 

They  are  hatched  in  April  or  early  in  May.  If  the 
spring  is  early  and  warm,  it  considerably  favors  their 
growth,  and  they  become  strong  and  powerful  on  the 
wing  by  the  commencement  of  the  shooting  season  ; 
but  if  the  spring  is  wet  and  cold,  the  broods  are  small 
both  in  number  and  size  of  the  birds. 

Young  grouse  may  be  distinguished  from  old  ones 
by  the  test  of  suspending  them  between  the  finger 
and  thumb  by  the  lower  mandible,  in  the  same  way 
as  that  for  distinguishing  partridges. 

In  strict  sporting  phraseology,  a  "covey"  of  grouse 
comprises  simply  a  brood ;  a  "  pack"  consists  of  sev- 
eral broods  assembled  together. 

Grouse,  when  very  young,  are  called  "  cheepers." 
At  the  commencement  of  the  season,  whilst  the  birds 
are  young,  they  are  tame  enough  for  any  one  ;  but 
as  the  season  advances,  and  they  become  stronger  on 
the  wing,  they  are  not  to  be  shot  by  any  but  well 
practised  sportsmen. 

Whilst  the  birds  are  young,  they  do  not  fly  far  on 
being  disturbed,  but  keep  within  reasonable  bounds. 

After  having  been  dispersed,  they  do  not  habitu- 


GEOIJSE-SHOOTING. 


161 


W^m  ally  assemble  again  in  the  evening,  like  partridges ; 
I^H  but  sometimes  wait  until  chance  throws  them  again 
I^H  in  the  way  of  their  companions  ;  which  it  generally 
I^H  does  at  their  feeding-grounds,  or  when  they  go  to 
^H      drink  at  mid-day. 

^^r  It  is  their  nature  to  "  pack"  in  windy  weather,  and 

to  disperse  in  fine  weather. 

In  a  flat  country,  grouse  are  far  more  unapproach- 
able than  on  a  moor  studded  with  heathery  hillocks. 
The  advantages  of  the  latter  are  two-fold  ;  as  it  not 
only  affords  an  excellent  concealment  to  the  sports- 
man and  his  dogs,  but  is  also  a  favorite  basking 
ground  and  cover  for  the  birds. 

The  sportsman  should  contrive  to  come  cautiously 
and  suddenly  upon  hUlocks  and  places  likely  to  hold 
grouse,  by  which  means  he  will  often  secure  fair 
shots,  though  the  birds  be  ever  so  wild ;  they  are 
fond  of  sitting  about  hillocks,  knolls,  moss  bogs,  and 
such  like. 

Advance  upon  favorite  and  likely  spots  from  be- 
low :  never  walk  down  a  hill  towards  a  place  where 
grouse,  partridges,  or  other  game  are  lying. 

Grouse  prefer  the  cover  of  thick,  short  heather  to 
that  which  is  long. 

Dispersed  grouse,  like  dispersed  partridges,  always 


162  THE   DEAD   SHOT, 

lie  well ;  but  there  is  great  difficulty  in  dispersing  a 
pack  of  wild  grouse. 

Whenever  you  are  so  fortunate  as  to  disperse  a 
covey,  mark  them  down ;  and  then  stick  to  them  so 
long  as  you  know  there  is  one  left. 

As  the  season  advances,  such  is  the  only  way  of 
making  up  a  bag. 

Good  markers  are  most  essential  for  grouse-shoot- 
ing ;  and  they  must  watch  the  birds  very  narrowly  ; 
often,  before  alighting,  grouse  take  a  turn  to  the 
right  or  left,  as  if  for  the  very  purpose  of  deceiving 
the  markers.  And  though  you  may  lose  sight  of 
them  in  the  distance,  follow  their  line  of  flight  with 
your  eye,  and  on  their  alighting,  they  may  probably 
betray  themselves  by  the  flapping  of  their  wings ; 
which,  at  the  moment  of  pitching,  are  often  distinct- 
ly seen  after  the  birds  have  been  long  lost  sight  of  in 
their  flight  over  the  heather. 

On  being  disturbed  in  the  morning,  grouse  almost 
invariably  fly  to  lower  ground ;  therefore  the  sports- 
man should  beat  the  surrounding  hills  first,  and  save 
the  lowlands  till  the  afternoon  or  evening,  which  is 
always  the  best  time  for  sport  with  grouse.  They 
are  then  more  easily  found  by  the  dogs,  because  they 
are  moving  about  feeding. 


GROUSE-SHOOTING. 


163 


A  good  knowledge  of  the  ground,  and  the  favorite 
haunts  of  the  birds  is  a  great  advantage ;  as  is  also  a 
familiarity  with  their  habits ;  though  both  these  vary- 
according  to  locality. 

The  worst  time  of  day  for  grouse-shooting  is  be- 
tween twelve  o'clock  and  two.  They  are  then  so  un- 
certain, that  you  know  not  where  to  look  for  them ; 
and  the  scent  is  so  very  feeble,  that  the  dogs  cannot 
help  you  much. 

It  is  best  not  to  disturb  either  grouse  or  partridges 
too  early  in  the  morning ;  they  lie  better  and  are  less 
wild,  if  left  till  about  nine  o'clock ;  between  which 
time  and  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  there  is  abund- 
ant time  for  a  hard  day's  toil;  if  not  a  good  day's 
sport. 

In  the  middle  of  the  day,  or  between  twelve  and 
one,  grouse  and  partridges  lie  quietly  without  run- 
ning about ;  consequently  there  is  no  scent,  and  they 
are  difficult  to  find ;  and  if  found,  spring  very  sud- 
denly. 

When  grouse  are  very  wild  they  wdll  sometimes 
be  found  to  lie  well  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  then  more 
shots  may  be  had  just  before  and  after  sunset,  than 
during  the  whole  day. 

During  wet  weather  grouse  are  always  wild ;  the 


164  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

moor  should  never  be  disturbed  whilst  the  heather  is 
wet. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  season  the  old  cock  often 
tries  the  stale  dodge  of  enticing  the  sportsman  away 
from  the  brood,  by  running  off  in  a  contrary  di- 
rection ;  sometimes  showing  his  head  above  the  heath- 
er ;  and  then  running  off  again  several  yards  before 
rising ;  and  I  have  occasionally  seen  old  partridges 
act  the  same  cunning  part,  when  their  broods  are 
young. 

Do  not  talk  to  your  dogs  or  companions  when 
grouse-shooting,  such  a  proceeding  is  fatal  to  sport ; 
the  strictest  silence  must  be  observed,  and  the  dogs 
hunted  by  dumb  signals,  after  the  manner  suggested 
for  partridge-shooting,  and  under  the  head  "  Dog- 
breaking." 

When  grouse  soar  up  in  the  air  on  rising,  the  best 
time  to  shoot  is  just  at  the  instant  the  bird  attains 
its  full  height,  before  darting  off.  At  that  moment 
it  is  nearly  stationary,  and  the  shot  strikes  with  full 
force ;  and  generally,  the  bird  falls  dead. 

In  windy  weather  grouse  are  very  difficult  birds 
for  a  young  sportsman  to  kill ;  they  fly  at  such  a  rate 
that  they  puzzle  the  best  shots  sometimes ;  especially 
if  the  bird  is  an  old  cock  grouse. 


GROUSE-SHOOTINa.  165 

The  first  hard  frost  always  seems  to  tame  them.  If 
the  sportsman  is  watchful  for  it,  and  seizes  the  oppor- 
tunity, he  may  generally  meet  with  good  success, 
though  the  birds  were  very  wild  and  unapproachable 
a  few  days  before. 

After  they  become  thoroughly  wild,  none  but  a 
quick  and  good  shot  stands  any  chance  of  killing 
them. 

Packs  of  grouse  are  very  wary  and  difficult  of  ap- 
proach. The  only  chance  of  getting  within  range  is 
by  "  driving ;"  i.  e.,  by  sending  your  marker  round  to 
put  them  up,  whilst  you  lie  concealed  in  their  prob- 
able line  of  flight ;  when,  by  suddenly  rising  up  just 
before  they  pass  over,  and  shooting  well  in  advance 
(say  from  one  to  three  feet,  according  to  the  rate  at 
which  they  may  be  flying),  you  may  sometimes  kill  a 
brace  with  your  two  barrels ;  but,  unless  you  are  a 
very  quick  and  good  shot,  even  this  expedient  fails, 
so  rapid  and  powerful  is  the  flight  of  a  pack  of  wild, 
persecuted  grouse. 

Young  sportsmen  will  find  it  extremely  difficult  to 
hit  driven  grouse;  practice  and  dexterity  alone  can 
teach  him  the  art. 

Should  the  instructions  under  the  head  "  Grouse- 
shooting"  appear  to  the  young  sportsman  to  be  short 


166  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

and  cursory,  we  beg  to  remind  him  tliat  very  much 
of  what  has  been  already  stated  under  various  pre- 
ceding heads,  applies  with  equal  force  to  the  subject 
of  grouse-shooting ;  and  should  be  attentively  studied 
by  the  tyro. 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  GEOUSE. 

There  is  much  variation  in  the  flight  of  grouse ; 
sometimes,  on  being  disturbed,  they  mount  in  the 
air  like  a  pheasant,  before  flying  ofi";  at  others  they 
steal  out  of  the  heather  as  quietly  as  possible,  and 
skim  along  within  a  few  inches  of  the  ground. 
When  they  soar  they  are  good  marks  for  the  sports- 
man, but  when  they  skim  off*  slily  they  require  to  be 
taken  very  quick,  or  they  are  soon  out  of  range  ; 
their  flight  is  very  rapid  and  strong,  and  unless  the 
sportsman  be  watchful  he  will  find  they  have  flown 
several  yards  before  his  eye  catches  them ;  and  it  is 
those  which  get  up  at  the  longest  distance  that  fly 
low,  those  which  mount  are  generally  sprung  close 
to  the  sportsman  or  his  dogs  ;  they  get  up  in  greater 
terror,  and  so  soar  in  the  air  several  yards  perpen- 
dicularly. Also,  if  you  come  suddenly  upon  them 
they  mount  in  the  same  manner. 


BLACK-GAME.  167 

They  take  longer  flights  than  partridges;  par- 
ticularly after  being  often  disturbed,  and  they  gener- 
ally fly  down  wind.  The  sportsman  should  therefore 
arrange  his  beat  judiciously,  and  be  cautious  how  he 
drives  his  packs  of  grouse,  or  he  may  have  the  mor- 
tification of  seeing  them  all  fly  to  his  neighbor's  moor, 
directly  after  being  disturbed. 


BLACK  GAME. 

The  sport  of  black  game  shooting  is  similar,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  season,  to  that  of  grouse-shoot- 
ing ;  except  that  black  game  are  generally  found  in 
moister  places,  particularly  in  swampy  ground,  among 
short  thick  rushes ;  on  the  brown-colored  seeds  of 
which  they  greedily  feed. 

The  season  for  shooting  them  commences  on  the 
20th  of  August,  and  ends  on  the  lOtli  of  December. 

There  is  one  remarkable  peculiarity  in  the  habits 
of  black  game,  that  in  the  first  of  the  shooting  season, 
when  they  are  young,  they  lie  so  close  that  they  al- 
most suffer  the  sportsman  to  tread  upon  them  before 
they  take  flight ;  but  later  in  the  season  they  become 
the  wildest  game  on  the  moors,  and  are  the  most 
dijfficult  of  the  species  to  approach. 


168  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

The  scent  from  black  game  is  very  strong  to  the 
nasal  organs  of  the  dog.  They  are  easily  found,  and 
a  wounded  one  easily  tracked  or  "  roaded"  by  a  good 
dog.  The  young  sportsman  should  use  a  steady  old 
dog  for  the  sport ;  he  should  walk  up  to  the  dog  when 
it  stands,  with  a  slow  and  cautious  step ;  and  if  a  good 
shot,  he  may  bag  a  whole  brood  in  the  space  of  a  few 
minutes.  The  birds  lie  very  close  on  being  first 
pointed,  sometimes  directly  under  the  dog's  nose, 
and  the  old  gray  hen  is  as  reluctant  to  fly  as  her 
young;  but,  on  being  closely  pressed,  she  suddenly 
rises  with  startling  and  tremendous  flutter,  frighten- 
ing a  young  sportsman  to  such  a  degree  that  it  puts 
his  nervous  system  into  a  great  state  of  tremor ;  so 
that  although  a  splendid  shot  offers,  and  a  large  mark, 
he  often  misses  the  old  hen.  If  he  can  command  his 
nerves  and  take  a  steady  dehberate  shot,  aiming  at 
the  head  of  the  bird,  she  is  sure  to  fall.  Having 
killed  her,  let  her  lie  at  present ;  don't  speak  a  word 
or  stir  a  step,  but  load  again  with  all  possible  dex- 
terity, and  another  shot  will  almost  immediately  fol- 
low, as  one  or  two  of  the  brood  will  rise  ;  down  with 
them,  and  load  again  quickly  as  before  ;  advance  step 
by  step,  slowly  and  cautiously,  being  ready  for  a  shot 
right  and  left ;  and  so,  one  by  one,  the  whole  brood 


BLACK   GAME   SHOOTING.  169 

will  get  up  at  intervals,  probably  all  within  range ; 
but  if  not,  carefully  mark  those  which  get  away ;  they 
will  fly  only  a  short  distance,  and  you  will  have  them 
presently.  In  this  manner  every  bird  may  be  killed 
in  the  brood ;  and  indeed  such  is  very  often  the  fate 
of  many  broods  of  black  game  in  the  early  part  of  the 
season. 

Old  black  cocks  are  considered  a  nuisance  to  the 
moor ;  they  drive  red  grouse  completely  off  the 
ground.  Whenever  a  chance  offers  at  a  black  cock, 
the  sportsman  should  take  care  to  kill  it ;  they  are 
nearly  as  tame  as  young  ones  in  the  early  part  of  the 
season,  but  towards  autumn  they  are  very  shy  and 
wild.  At  that  time  they  may  sometimes  be  shot  by 
stalking,  as  they  sit  perched  on  a  tree  or  a  command- 
ing knoll.  The  average  weight  of  a  black-cock  is  not 
less  than  four  pounds.  When  beating  the  covers  for 
black  game  the  sportsman  must  keep  a  sharp  look- 
out for  they  are  very  cunning ;  often  slealing  away 
to  some  remote  part  of  the  wood,  and  then  going  off 
as  slyly  as  an  old  fox.  Sometimes  they  sit  very  close 
in  the  thickest  part  of  the  underwood ;  and  when 
closely  pressed,  they  rise  with  a  great  noise  and 
flutter.  But  whenever  they  can,  they  steal  away 
noiselessly ;  and  perhaps  you  only  get  a  glimpse  of 
8 


1*^0  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

them  when  out  of  range.  Black  game  require  a  hard 
hit  to  bring  them  down,  more  especially  an  old  cock. 

Noisy  beaters  are  by  no  means  desirable  when 
looking  for  the  black-cock  in  »  wood.  They  may 
beat  the  cover  as  much  as  they  like,  but  the  less  noise 
the  beaters  make  with  their  tongnes  the  better. 

Covers  in  which  the  birch  and  alder  grow  are  the 
more  favored  resorts  of  the  black-cock. 

In  the  heat  of  the  day  black  game  seek  a  shelter 
from  the  sun  ;  they  are  then  frequently  found  in  thick 
crops  of  bracken. 

Sometimes  they  visit  stubble  and  com  fields,  where 
they  feed  greedily  on  the  ears  of  com ;  but  they  have 
sentinels  on  these  occasions,,  and  are  always  extremely 
vigilant  and  suspicious  of  their  enemies* 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  ELACEI  aAME. 

The  flight  of  black  game  is  peculiar ;  when  seen 
on  the  wing  at  a  distance  they  very  much  resemble 
wild  ducks,  both  in  the  form  of  their  bodies  and  the 
motion  of  their  wings.  They  fly  with  heads  and 
necks  stretched  out  Uke  wild  ducks;  maintaining  a 
steady,  wheeling,  or  determined  sort  of  flight.  And 
they  are  much  in  the  habit  of  following  each  other  in 


THE  DUTY   OF   MARKEKS.  171 

the  same  track ;  therefore  if  you  chance  to  ohtain  a 
shot  at  black  game  as  is  it  flying  across  country,  by 
standing  still  and  watching  a  few  minutes  from  the 
same  spot,  you  may  probably  obtain  other  shots ; 
particularly  if  the  birds  happen  to  be  fleeing  from 
some  moor  where  they  have  been  disturbed  by  a 
neighboring  sportsman. 

Young  black-cocks  may  be  distinguished,  when 
flying,  by  the  white  feathers  in  their  tails;  but  in 
other  respects,  the  plumage  of  the  young  cocks  is 
very  similar  to  that  of  the  old  females. 

The  old  cock  is  easily  distinguished  by  his  large 
size  and  dark  plumage. 


THE  DUTY  OF  MARKERS. 

The  term  "marker,"  in  shooting  phraseology, 
implies  a  person  whose  duty  it  is  to  watch  the  birds 
in  their  flight,  and  mark  the  spot  at  which  they 
alight ;  by  which  means  the  sportsman  is  enabled  to 
follow  them  up  with  a  greater  certainty  of  sport. 

A  marker  is  generally  stationed  on  a  hill,  in  a  tree, 
or  some  such  commanding  position ;  where  he  may 
be  of  great  service  in  marking  the  place  where  the 
birds  fly  to,  on  being  flushed  by  the  sportsmen  in 


172  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

the  valleys.  It  is  also  a  good  plan  to  place  a  marker 
on  horse-back,  and  a  very  usual  one  in  undulating 
countries,  where  it  is  sometimes  necessary  for  the 
marker  to  gallop  from  one  eminence  to  another 
during  the  flight  of  the  covey  or  pack. 

Markers  should  be  able  to  direct  the  sporstman  by 
signs  of  waving  the  hand  or  lifting  the  cap. 

It  is  indispensable  that  a  marker  should  have  good 
eyes,  and  the  longer  sighted  he  is  the  better.  He 
should  also  be  provided  with  a  small  but  powerful 
telescope ;  particularly  when  the  birds  are  in  the 
habit  of  taking  very  long  flights. 

Some  men  are  much  more  useful  and  correct  as 
markers  than  others.  Some  are  able  to  mark  with 
splendid  precision  at  half  a  mile  distant ;  others  are 
so  careless  and  indiiferent  as  to  be  of  no  use  at  all. 

Markers  should  also,  when  necessary,  look  out  to 
place  themselves  in  such  a  position  as  to  turn  or 
deviate  the  flight  of  a  covey  which  may  be  going  in 
a  contrary  direction  to  that  desired.  This  may  be 
done  by  waving  a  handkerchief  on  a  stick,  or  throw- 
ing the  hat  up  in  the  air. 

Markers  must  carry  their  attention  well  forward, 
especially  on  losing  sight  of  the  covey  or  pack  in 
the  distance  :  both  grouse  and  partridges  always  turn 


WOUNDED    GAME.  173 

up  the  whites  of  their  wings  and  flap  them  just  before 
alighting. 

The  sportsman  should  never  allow  two  markers 
to  be  together  ;  they  are  sure  to  talk,  and  if  there 
is  no  game  near  to  be  disturbed  by  their  chatter, 
their  attention  is  taken  off  the  duty  imposed  on 
them. 

In  a  hilly  country  you  must  generally  have 
markers. 

Where  game  is  abundant,  markers  are  a  nuisance. 


WOUNDED   GAME:    HOW   TO   CAPTURE. 

Every  sportsman  on  knocking  a  bird  down  is 
anxious  to  recover  it ;  but  many  winged  and 
wounded  birds  are  lost  by  inexperienced  sportsmen 
through  haste,  anxiety,  over-eagerness,  or  an  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  the  nature  and  habits  of  winged 
and  wounded  game. 

All  birds,  when  deprived  of  the  power  of  flight, 
feel  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  their  pursuers  ;  and 
It  being  a  struggle  between  life  and  death  with 
them,  they  make  the  utmost  use  of  their  cunning  in 
order  to  evade  capture,  whether  pursued  by  man  or 
dogs. 


174  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

A  winged  partridge,  on  dropping  into  standing 
corn,  clover,  grass,  or  turnips,  cannot  easily  be  re- 
covered without  the  assistance  of  a  dog  that  will 
trail  it  up  entirely  by  the  scent.  For  this  purpose  a 
retriever  is  of  great  service  to  the  sportsman. 

The  habits  of  wounded  birds  are  very  deceptive ; 
inexperienced  men  would  be  astonished  at  the  dis- 
tance run  in  a  few  minutes  by  a  winged  bird, 
more  especially  a  French  partridge ;  which,  if  only 
pinioned,  will  sometimes  run  across  two  or  three 
large  fields. 

The  sportsman,  on  firing,  should  not  move  from 
his  position  until  he  has  carefully  marked  the  precise 
spot  where  the  bird  fell.  Accurate  marking  in  high 
grass,  corn,  clover,  or  turnips  is  most  essential ;  and 
the  sportsman  who  expects  to  recover  his  game  will 
do  well  to  pay  due  attention  to  the  subject.  A  bird 
on  falling  dead,  requires  equally  careful  marking; 
because  of  there  being  no  scent  to  assist  the  dog  in 
finding  it,  except  at  and  about  the  spot  where  it  fell. 

Retrievers,  pointers,  and  setters,  by  training  and 
practice,  watch  the  bird  in  its  flight  and  fall.  A 
clever  dog  so  trained,  after  waiting  quietly  whilst  its 
master  recharges  the  gun,  will  go  straight  to  the 
spot  where  the  bird  fell,  and  secure  it  mstanter.    A 


WOITNDED   game:    HOW  TO    CAPTURE.  175 

dog  that  is  clever  at  finding  wounded  game,  be  it  of 
what  breed  it  may,  and  whether  pure  or  mongrel,  is 
an  invaluable  animal  to  a  sportsman. 

If  you  lose  a  bird,  by  reason  of  there  being  no 
scent,  or  your  dog  having  taken  the  wrong  scent,  or 
otherwise ;  and  feeling  certain  that  the  bird  cannot 
rise  again,  you  leave  the  spot  and  go  to  it  again, 
quietly,  in  course  of  an  hour  or  more ;  the  ehaaces 
are  ten  to  one  but  you  will  find  your  bird- 

On  one  occasion,  the  season  before  last,  I  lost  a  land- 
rail in  long  grass,  after  fairly  knocking  it  over,  and 
marking  to  a  foot  the  spot  at  which  it  felL  It  was 
a  very  sultry  day,  and  probably  there  was  scarcely 
any  scent  for  the  dogs,  which,  besides,  were  thirsty 
at  the  time ;  and  neither  they  nor  my  friend  and 
attendant  could  find  the  bird.  I  went  an  hour  after- 
wards by  myself,  and  there  was  the  bird  within  a 
few  inches  of  the  spot  I  had  marked,  by  driving  a 
small  stake  in  the  ground.  It  was  wounded  in  the 
body  as  well  as  winged;  and  appeared  to  have  just 
crawled  out  of  the  grass  to  die  after  we  had  left 

Wounded  game  should  always  be  followed  up  im- 
mediately, and  energetically  searched  for  until  it  is 
bagged. 

Whenever  a  bird  twitches  at  the  moment  of  being 


1^6  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

shot  at,  the  sportsman  may  be  assured  it  is  badly 
wounded,  and  he  should  mark  it  down  and  follow  it 
up  without  delay. 

If  the  legs  of  the  bird  shot  at  hang  down  immedi- 
ately after  the  charge,  it  is  almost  a  certain  sign  that 
the  bird  is  mortally  wounded ;  it  should  be  most  nar- 
rowly watched  and  marked  down. 

Any  bird  from  which  the  feathers  fly,  or  become 
disarranged  on  being  shot  at,  is  wounded,  though  not 
always  mortally;  such  a  bird,  however,  should  be 
immediately  followed  up. 

The  necessity  of  carefully  marking  a  bird  when- 
ever it  is  struck,  cannot  be  too  deeply  impressed  upon 
the  mind  of  every  sportsman  who  wishes  to  recover 
his  bird. 

More  than  one  half  of  the  birds  which  exhibit 
symptoms  of  being  struck  by  the  shot,  fall  dead 
within  200  yards  of  the  spot  at  ^vhich  they  received 
their  wounds.  But  young  sportsmen,  in  their  over- 
eagerness  to  mark  the  covey  or  those  which  fly  away 
uninjured,  lose  sight  of  the  wounded  bird,  which 
might  easily  and  certainly  be  recovered  if  marked 
down  ;  and  the  consequence  is,  that  the  bird  either 
falls  dead  within  two  or  three  fields,  or  it  drops  to 
the  ground  unable  to  fly  or  run  ;    and,  being  unob- 


WOODCOCK-SHOOTING.  177 

served,  there  in  lingering  agony  it  dies.  The  dogs 
are  very  unlikely  to  find  it,  except  by  the  merest 
chance,  because  it  cannot  move  to  disperse  the  scent ; 
and  so,  unless  the  dog  happens  to  pass  within  a  few 
inches  of   the  spot,  the  bird  is  never  recovered. 

Winged  birds,  on  the  contrary,  are  marked  down 
at  the  instant,  because  they  fall  at  once,  on  the  wing 
being  fractured.  It  is  the  bodily  wounded  birds  that 
are  so  frequently  lost. 

Grouse  sometimes  fly  away  with  their  wounds  to 
a  great  distance ;  it  is  not  at  all  unusual  to  recover 
a  grouse  several  hundred  yards  from  the  place  where 
it  was  shot. 

WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 

All  sportsmen  take  great  delight  in  woodcock- 
shooting  :  a  peculiar  charm  appears  to  belong  to  the . 
sport;  no  sound  is  more  pleasing  to  the  ear  of  a 
sportsman,  when  beating  a  cover,  than  the  words 
"  mark  cock  !"  A  successful  day's  woodcock-shoot- 
ing is  in  the  highest  degree  satisfactory  ;  and  certain 
it  is,  that  many  sportsmen  are  far  more  deUghted  at 
killing  a  woodcock  than  any  other  bird  of  the  game 
species.  It  is  a  sport  which  requires  a  good  deal  of 
practice ;  for  although  a  woodcock  may  now  and  then 


178  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

be  killed  with  very  great  ease,  they  are  for  the  most 
part  difficult  birds  to  shoot,  their  flight  being  so  un- 
certain and  varied ;  often  dodging  through  glades 
and  among  trees  as  if  purposely  to  confound  the 
shooter.  They  are  so  irregular  in  their  flight,  that 
on  some  days  they  are  found  to  fly  slowly  and  lazily, 
and  to  a  short  distance  only ;  whilst  on  other  days 
they  fly  straight  away  to  a  long  distance,  and  quite 
out  of  marking  range. 

N"o  one  can  become  skilful  in  the  sport  without 
much  practice,  and  a  good  knowledge  of  the  flight 
and  habit  of  the  woodcock.  On  some  occasions  they 
may  be  found  and  killed  as  easily  as  young  partridges : 
and  perhaps  the  very  next  day  they  are  artful  in  their 
movements,  difficult  to  find,  and  more  difficult  to 
mark. 

Clumber  spaniels  are  the  kind  of  dogs  best  adapted 
to  the  pursuit ;  they  should  be  well  trained,  so  as  to 
be  at  all  times  under  the  perfect  control  of  their  mas- 
ters and  the  beaters  who  accompany  them.  They 
should  be  active  and  persevering  animals,  and  thor- 
oughly up  to  the  scent  and  haunts  of  woodcocks ;  for 
they  are  birds  which  sometimes  lie  very  close,  and  are 
sluggish  and  difficult  to  flush,  though  at  others  they 
are  very  easily  put  up. 


WOODCOCK-SHOOTING.  179 

Woodcocks  arrive  in  tbis  country  by  the  first  or 
second  week  in  October,  but  in  greater  numbers  to- 
wards the  latter  part  of  that  month.  November  is 
the  prime  month  of  the  season  for  woodcock  shooting. 

They  are  to  be  found  in  the  covers  near  the  sea  in 
October,  But  if  there  happen  to  be  no  covers  near 
the  spot  at  which  they  reach  the  shore,  they  keep  to 
the  open  ground,  glad  to  rest  their  weary  limbs  by 
taking  refuge  in  brushwood,  furze,  hedges,  rushes, 
heather,  or  whatever  temporary  cover  may  be  nearest 
at  hand. 

"  When  first  he  comes 
From  liis  long  journey  o'er  th'  unfriendly  main, 
With  wearj  wing  the  woodcock  throws  him  down, 
Impatient  for  repose,  on  the  bare  cliifs; 
Thence  with  short  flight  the  nearest  cover  seeks, 
Low  copse  or  straggling  furze,  till  the  deep  woods 
Invite  him  to  take  up  his  fixed  abode," 

Woodcocks  are  also  frequently  shot  on  the  moors 
in  the  month  of  October ;  but  directly  the  frost  comes, 
it  drives  them  to  the  woods. 

They  are  birds  which  like  to  lie  in  dry  and  warm 
sheltered  places  ;  they  do  not  go  to  springs  and  wet 
grounds  in  the  daytime,  unless  very  hungry.  They 
go  at  night  to  their  moist  feeding  grounds. 

A  small  double-gun,  with  short  barrels,  will  be  found 


180  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

the  handiest  weapon  for  woodcock  or  cover  shooting. 
Woodcocks  sometimes  rise  very  suddenly ;  and  among 
trees  and  brush-wood,  one  chance  only  is  generally 
all  that  offers.  The  sportsman  should  instantly  take 
advantage  of  it,  and  fire  on  the  first  opportunity  ;  it 
may  be  the  only  one  he  will  have. 

In  well-grown  woods  and  plantations,  on  flushing 
a  cock,  the  sooner  you  can  knock  it  down  the  better ; 
shoot,  if  possible,  before  the  bird  rises  so  high  as  the 
branches  of  the  trees.  When  this  cannot  be  done, 
endeavor  to  make  a  snap  shot  through  the  clearest 
opening  that  can  be  found,  or  through  the  twigs  of 
the  trees. 

In  covers  which  are  of  not  very  long  or  lofty 
growth,  time  may  generally  be  given  for  the  bird  to 
rise  as  high  as  the  tops  of  the  trees ;  but,  as  a  rule,  a 
cock  should  never  be  allowed  to  go  far  before  you 
shoot. 

It  is  the  nature  of  woodcocks,  on  being  flushed  in 
a  wood,  to  make  for  the  clearest  opening,  and  then 
soar  as  high  as  the  trees ;  over  the  tops  of  which  they 
skim  off  in  a  straight  line,  and  generally  pitch  again 
in  another  part  of  the  cover,  or  make  a  tortuous  flight 
and  drop  in,  or  very  near  to,  the  same  spot  from  which 
they  were  flushed. 


WOODCOCK-SHOOTING.  181 

A  familiar  knowledge  of  the  wood  and  surrounding 
locality  is  of  essential  service  to  the  sportsman  ;  and 
the  more  frequently  he  beats  the  wood,  and  marks 
the  line  of  flight  taken  by  the  woodcocks,  the  better 
by  far  w^ill  be  his  success.  There  is  sometimes  so 
much  sameness  and  regularity  in  the  habits  of  wood- 
cocks, that  they  may  frequently  be  found  in  the  very 
same  spots  from  which  they  were  flushed  the  day 
before ;  therefore,  after  once  or  twice  observing  the 
line  of  flight  in  any  particular  locality,  the  sportsman 
is  in  possession  of  very  useful  knowledge  as  to  the 
best  position  and  route  to  take  on  another  day ;  and 
has  considerable  advantage  over  his  fellow-sportsmen 
when  beating  large  covers  for  woodcocks. 

I  have  often  heard  it  remarked,  that  no  one  ever 
saw  a  woodcock  entangled  in  the  boughs  or  bushes 
on  rising ;  though  the  alarm  be  ever  so  sudden  and 
great,  it  always  takes  care  to  choose  a  place  in  the 
wood  for  its  retreat,  where  there  is  a  clear  opening 
towards  the  sky,  or  a  glade  through  which  to  pass 
and  gain  the  open. 

Woodcocks  are  in  the  habit  of  running  many  yards 
from  the  spot  at  which  they  are  marked  down:  the 
running  is  performed  on  the  instant  of  alighting. 

On  beating  a  cover  for  woodcocks,  try  the  holly 


182  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

bushes  and  evergreens;  they  are,  of  all  places,  the 
most  likely  ones  to  hold  the  objects  of  your  pursuit. 

A  woodcock  is  generally  considered  an  easy  shot 
to  a  sportsman ;  but  notwithstanding,  there  is  no  bird 
which  is  more  frequently  missed,  particularly  when 
found  unexpectedly. 

It  is  true  that  the  remotest  chance  is  taken  advan- 
tage of  in  woodcock-shooting,  and  random  and  useless 
shots  are  often  made ;  being  birds  of  passage,  and  a 
great  prize  also,  sportsmen  are  always  eager  to  bag 
them. 

Woodcocks  frequently  rise  within  ten  or  twelve 
yards  of  the  sportsman,  and  often  so  clumsily  as  to 
offer  the  fairest  of  shots ;  but  they  sometimes  as  sud- 
denly dodge  round  a  tree,  or  by  some  other  unex- 
pected move,  elude  the  skill  of  the  best  sportsmen. 

They  are  often  very  indisposed  to  rise  from  their 
favorite  haunts,  and  will  sometimes  fly  round  the 
wood  as  if  in  search  of  a  secure  retreat,  and  then 
cunningly  haste  back  and  pitch  in  the  very  same  spot 
fj'oni  whence  they  were  flushed.  Mana3uvres  of  this 
kind  are  inherent  in  the  woodcock,  and  when  viewed 
from  a  commanding  position  are  not  only  interesting 
to  behold,  but  likewise  very  instructive  to  the  sports- 
man ;  who,  if  he  condescended  to  become  marker  for 


I 


MANCEUVEES    OF  THE   WOODCOCK.  183 

his  friends  on  one  or  two  occasions,  the  knowledge 
he  would  acquire  of  the  habits  and  flight  of  wood- 
cocks by  that  means,  would  be  of  lasting  service  to 
him  as  a  sportsman. 

Markers  are  of  essential  service  in  woodcock-shoot- 
ing ;  they  should  be  placed  on  the  most  commanding 
hill,  or  in  a  tree  overlooking  the  top  of  the  wood.  A 
man  so  placed,  if  he  keeps  a  good  look-out,  will  be 
enabled  to  mark  every  cock  that  tops  the  trees ;  and 
they  often  pitch  in  such  improbable  places  as  few 
would  think  of  beating. 

It  is  also  necessary,  in  large  covers,  to  be  provided 
with  beaters,  but  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  hurry 
the  dogs:  many  a  cock  is  left  behind  through  the 
beaters  being  too  hasty  and  eager ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  many  are  left  behind  which  might  have  been 
flushed  had  not  the  beaters  been  neglectful  of  their 
duty,  through  fatigue  or  laziness. 

When  the  beaters  are  numerous  and  very  noisy, 
woodcocks,  on  being  flushed,  are  apt  to  alight  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  covert ;  therefore,  on  beating  back 
again  in  the  same  wood,  the  outside  borders  of  the 
cover  should  be  tried. 

On  flushing  a  cock  the  second  time  within  an  hour, 
the  sportsman  should  take  care  to  kill  it  j  they  are 


184 


THE   DEAD    SHOT. 


not  SO  regular  in  their  flight  on  being  twice  disturbed 
within  a  short  time.  ' 

A  woodcock  is  a  much  more  cunning  bird  than 
many  would  suppose ;  and  after  having  been  shot  at 
and  missed,  seems  to  remember  it,  and  endeavors  to 
puzzle  its  pursuers  as  much  as  possible.  After  being 
flushed  once,  they  lie  very  close  on  an  attempt  being 
made  to  disturb  them  a  second  time ;  so  that  active 
beating  is  necessary  in  order  to  put  them  up. 

The  sportsman  must  watch  the  flight  of  a  woodcock, 
and  endeavor  to  follow  it  with  his  eye  from  the  first 
moment  of  its  being  sprung ;  he  must  look  out  in  the 
openings,  and  snap  a  shot  on  the  first  opportunity,  or 
the  chance  of  another  may  be  lost. 

In  long-continued  and  severe  frosts  woodcocks  de- 
sert their  inland  retreats,  and  go  to  woods  and  clifi's 
near  the  sea,  generally  preferring  those  on  the  south 
coast ;  their  reason  for  doing  so  is,  that  through  the 
severity  of  the  weather,  they  can  obtain  no  food  ex- 
cept on  the  sands  and  marshes,  which  are  not  severely 
aff'ected  by  the  frost,  by  reason  of  the  influx  and  re- 
flux of  the  salt  water. 

"  The  woodcock  then 
Forsakes  the  barren  woods,  forsakes  the  meads, 
And  southward  wmgs  his  way,  by  Nature  taught 


THE   FLIGHT   OF   WOODCOCKS.  185 

To  seek  once  more  the  cliffs  that  overhang 
The  murmuring  main." 

Woodcocks  seek  the  sea-coast  also  in  the  month  of 
March,  and  await  in  the  neighboring  woods  a  favora- 
ble wind  to  assist  them  in  their  migration  to  another 
climate.  They  are  not  so  good  eating  in  March,  be- 
cause of  the  near  approach  to  the  breeding  season. 

Woodcocks  always  prefer  such  covers  as  lie  with 
a  sloping  surface,  and  aspect  towards  the  morning 
and  mid-day  sun.  In  some  places  where  this  choice 
of  retreat  is  at  hand,  they  number  more  than  two  to 
one  in  a  wood  with  a  sunny  aspect  than  in  that  with 
a  cold  northern  one. 

Another  of  their  favorite  retreats  is  a  sheltered 
valley  in  the  midst  of  a  wood,  or  such  other  places  in 
the  cover  as  are  least  affected  by  frost,  and  most  ex- 
posed to  the  mid-day  sun. 

A  wounded  woodcock  is  easily  recovered;  it  seldom 
runs  from  the  spot  where  it  falls. 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  WOODCOCKS. 

In  no  case  is  the  truth  of  my  oft-repeated  assertion, 
as  to  the  necessity  of  a  familiar  knowledge  of  the 


186  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

flight  of  game,  more  fully  verified  than  in  the  pursuit 
of  woodcocks. 

The  sportsman  who  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
flight  and  habits  of  the  woodcock,  will  be  enabled  to 
kill  more  than  twice  as  many  in  the  course  of  the  sea- 
eon  as  he  who  takes  no  pains  to  inform  himself  on  so 
instructive  and  interesting  an  element  in  the  art  of 
shooting. 

The  rate  of  speed  at  which  the  woodcock  flies  is 
deceptive ;  varying  considerably  according  to  the  po- 
sition from  which  it  is  flushed,  the  season  of  the  year, 
time  of  day,  strength  of  wind,  &g.  Thus  it  is  some- 
times slow  and  labored,  at  others,  twisting,  darting, 
and  dodging,  and  often  rapid  and  direct  as  a  hawk. 
Sometimes  they  begin  with  a  heavy,  lazy  flight,  and 
then  suddenly  dart  away  with  surprising  swiftness. 

They  have  a  much  greater  power  in  their  wings 
than  many  persons  imagine ;  and  when  suddenly 
alarmed  and  much  frightened,  they  are  as  diflicult  to 
shoot  as  snipes.  Distance  must  be  less  regarded  in 
woodcock-shooting  than  in  any  other  sport ;  because, 
by  giving  time  in  the  hope  of  getting  a  better  chance, 
you  lose  the  only  one  which  offers. 

"  "Where  woodcocks  dodge,  there  distance  knows  no  laws ; 
Necessity  admits  no  room  for  pause." 


L 


THE   FLIGHT    OF   WOODCOCKS.  187 

A  woodcock  on  being  flushed  in  covert,  makes  di- 
rectly for  the  glades,  or  for  the  clearest  openings, 
when  it  soars  as  high  as  the  trees,  and  flies  in  a 
straight  line  over  the  tops.  To  a  sportsman  who 
may  happen  to  be  beneath  or  within  range,  these  are 
the  fairest  shots  of  all  in  woodcock-shooting.  There 
is  so  much  steadiness  in  their  flight,  when  once  they 
have  gained  a  clear  space  above  the  trees,  that  by 
firing  more  or  less  in  advance  of  the  bird,  according 
to  the  rate  or  rapidity  of  its  flight,  you  are  almost 
sure  to  bring  it  down. 

Woodcocks  make  a  regular  evening  flight  from  the 
woods  to  the  meadows,  fens,  and  ditches ;  they  go 
just  at  the  beginning  of  twilight,  and  return  to  the 
woods  early  in  the  morning. 

These  morning  and  evening  excursions  to  and 
from  the  wood  are  made  with  great  regularity ;  if  un- 
disturbed, they  fly  day  by  day  precisely  the  same 
route,  and  frequently  to  the  same  places,  both  in  the 
wood  and  the  feeding-grounds  elsewhere. 

The  regularity  and  sameness  in  the  course  of  the 
woodcock  is  very  remarkable.  They  appear  as  fa- 
miliar with  all  direct  openings  and  glades  in  the 
woods  they  frequent,  as  if  they  had  used  them  for 
years.     Day  after  day,  and  week  after  week,  on  being 


188  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

flushed,  they  fly  ofi"  by  the  same  route,  through  the 
same  glades,  and  over  the  tops  of  the  same  trees. 
Even  in  the  oj^en,  their  line  of  flight  does  not  vary 
twenty  yards.  They  appear  to  have  certain  retreats, 
and  certain  roads  leading  to  and  from  them. 

It  is  therefore  obvious  that  the  sportsman  who  is 
familiar  with  these  habits  of  usage,  by  practice, 
knows  to  a  few  yards  the  spot  at  which  to  look  out 
for  a  shot,  on  hearing  the  signal  "Mark  cock!" 
He  therefore  has  considerable  advantage  over  one 
who  is  not  so  informed. 

It  is  very  necessary  in  woodcock-shooting  to  notice 
particularly  the  speed  at  which  the  bird  is  flying,  and 
regulate  your  aim  accordingly :  no  bird  is  more  de- 
ceiving to  the  eye  of  the  sportsman,  because  it  fre- 
quently and  suddenly  changes  the  rate  of  its  flight 
from  very  slow  to  very  fast ;  and  whilst  making  its 
way  out  of  the  cover,  sometimes  dodges  and  twists 
its  course  in  the  most  puzzling  manner ;  but  it  no 
sooner  tops  the  trees,  or  gains  the  open,  than  its 
flight  is  straight  and  swift. 

Woodcocks  do  not  generally  fly  far  on  being  first 
flushed ;  but  on  being  disturbed  a  second  time  within 
an  hour  or  two,  they  suspect  the  enemy  and  go  off 
further ;  on  a  third  flush  they  go  further  still,  and  so 


I 


PHEASANT-SHOOTING.  189 


gradually  become  wilder.     A  good  shot,  however, 

I  will  generally  stop  a  woodcock  at  the  first  time  of 


PHEASANT-SHOOTINa. 


This  sport  commences,  according  to  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment, on  the  1st  of  October.  It  is  considered  by 
some  persons  as  the  most  princely  recreation  with 
dog  and  gun  of  any  that  can  be  found  in  this  coun- 
try :  but  many  other  persons — and  among  them  some 
of  the  most  experienced  sportsmen  and  most  splen- 
did shots  in  the  land — consider  pheasant-shooting 
the  least  like  real  sport  of  any  of  their  pursuits. 
However,  there  are  few  sportsmen  who  do  not  value 
a  brace  of  pheasants  when  they  shoot  them.  They 
look  very  beautiful  in  their  plumage — they  make  a 
handsome  present  to  a  neighbor — they  form  an  aris- 
tocratic sort  of  dish,  of  which  everybody  generally 
partakes  when  he  gets  the  chance  ;  and,  when  nicely 
roasted,  they  are  uncommonly  good  eating. 

It  is  easy  to  imagine  that  the  strict  and  extensive 
game  preserver,  who  estimates  his  coverts  not  by 
acres  but  by  miles,  can  pride  himself  by  offering  his 
friends  incessant   shooting  throughout   any   day  in 


190  THE  DEAD  SHOT. 

October;  pheasants  rising  right  and  left  at  every 
advancing  step  :  but  then  the  question  is — ^do  sports- 
men care  for  such  carnage  and  banging  ?  Some  like 
it  for  a  change,  but  there  are  few  who  care  for  many 
successive  days'  battue. 

In  my  opinion  the  true  enjoyment  of  pheasant- 
shooting  consists  in  going  out  with  one  or  two  friends 
only,  where  pheasants  are  neither  very  tame  nor 
over-abundant. 

But  pheasant-shooting  in  closely  preserved  covers, 
during  the  early  part  of  the  month  of  October,  is 
uncommonly  tame  sport.  As  the  covers  become 
more  and  more  naked,  and  as  autumn  advances,  so 
pheasants  become  more  and  more  wary ;  and  then 
the  sport  becomes  exciting,  the  birds  become  much 
wilder,  and  are  not  brought  to  bag  so  tamely  as  in 
early  season. 

When  the  branches  are  all  leafless,  then  the  real 
enjoyment  of  pheasant-shooting  is  said  to  .commence. 

Early  in  the  morning  pheasants  may  generally  be 
found  in  hedges  near  the  covers,  particularly  after  a 
rainy  night. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  is  a  very  likely 
hour  at  which  to  find  pheasants  in  turnips,  carrots, 
or  mangold,  near  the  coverts. 


I 


PHEASAJrr-SHOOTING.  191 

Sometimes  (particularly  after  a  long  flight)  they 
are  difficult  birds  to  put  out  of  a  hedgerow  or  thick 
cover.  They  lie  so  close  that  dogs  may  pass  on  both 
sides,  and  yet  fail  to  spring  them :  and  they  often 
perch  a  few  feet  above  the  ground,  so  as  to  be  out  of 
the  Avay  of  the  dogs^  noses. 

In  beating  for  pheasants  in  thick-set  hedges  or 
coverts,  always  give  your  dogs  the  benefit  of  the 
wind,  or  it  is  impossible  to  find  them,  particularly 
cunning  old  birds. 

If  disturbed  in  windy  weather,  pheasants  some- 
times fly  far  away  down  wind  :  and  unless  marked 
down,  the  probability  is  that  they  may  never  return. 
They  hate  windy  weather,  and  seldom  fly  against 
stroncT  Gfales. 

There  is  no  better  time  at  which  to  find  pheasants 
out  of  their  coverts  than  during  the  first  hour  or  two 
after  sunrise  ;  at  which  time  they  go  to  stubbles  of 
wheat  and  barley  which  may  be  near  adjacent. 

A  straggler  or  two  may  generally  be  found  during 
the  day,  in  the  hedges  enclosing  the  stubbles  in  which 
they  feed. 

Pheasants  venture  further  from  the  wood  in  foggy 
weather ;  they  are  then  soon  bewildered,  and  know 
not  which  way  to  return.      He  who  would  keep  his 


192  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

pheasants  at  home,  will  not  disturb  them  in  foggy 
weather. 

In  pheasant-shooting  the  young  sportsman  must 
remember  that  it  is  necessary  to  shoot  specially  high 
when  the  bird  is  rising  perpendicularly,  and  well 
forward  when  it  is  flying  across. 

The  afternoon  is  the  best  time  of  day  for  pheasant- 
shooting  ;  the  cock  birds,  in  particular,  do  not  rise 
well  till  that  time  of  day. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  is  the  time 
pheasants  roam  about  for  drink ;  they  get  into 
ditches  and  shady  places  in  dry  weather  about  that 
hour. 

Well-trained  springing  spaniels  are  the  best  kind 
of  dogs  for  pheasant-shooting ;  particularly  in  thick- 
set coverts. 

When  the  woods  are  full  of  hares  and  rabbits,  dogs 
are  not  much  used  in  pheasant-shooting,  but  beaters 
only:  retrievers,  if  under  perfect  obedience,  may 
sometimes  be  employed  with  advantage. 

A  pheasant  is  by  no  means  a  difficult  shot ;  on  the 
contrary,  to  a  person  accustomed  to  their  mode  of 
flight  they  are  easily  brought  down.  It  is  the  tre- 
mendous flutter  and  whirr  they  make  on  rising, 
which   so  discomposes   the    nerves  of  excitable   or 


PHEASANT-SHOOTING.  193 

over-anxious  sportsmen,  and  so  causes  them  to  miss 
their  aim.  The  poet  Watt  gives  a  capital  hint,  when 
he  says: — 

"  Be  but  composed,  and,  I  believe, 
Tour  eye  will  ne'er  your  hand  deceive." 

If  ever  so  well  fed,  pheasants  will  stray  a  little. 
They  leave  the  woods  at  dawn  of  day,  and  again  in 
the  evening  just  before  sunset.  Gamekeepers  are 
generally  vigilant  at  those  hours,  and  in  the  morning, 
as  soon  as  the  sun  is  up,  they  beat  them  back  into  the- 
woods. 

A  nide  of  pheasants  signifies  a  brood  or  hatching, 
same  as  a  cove^  of  partridges. 

There  is  great  danger  in  pheasant-shooting  in 
coverts,  unless  the  sportsmen  keep  in  line,  as  in  a 
battue,  and  never  shoot  except  far  above  the  range  of 
human  head. 

Pheasants  require  vigilant  watching  in  suspicious 
neighborhoods.  They  are  always  a  prize  to  the 
poacher ;  and  no  bird  is  so  simply,  quietly,  and  easily 
taken  by  means  of  snares  and  other  notorious  de- 
vices. 

9 


194  '  THE  DEAD   SHOT, 


FLIGHT  OF   PHEASANTS. 


Whether  viewed  on  wing  or  at  perch,  the  pheasant 
is  one  of  the  most  beautifully  plumaged  and  grace- 
fully formed  of  English  birds  ;  a  cock  makes  a  most 
resplendent  show  with  its  wings  extended  on  a  sunny 
day. 

On  being  suddenly  disturbed,  the  pheasant  rises 
perpendicularly  from  the  ground  with  strong  wing 
and  tremendous  whirring :  and  then  having  topped 
the  trees,  it  glides  off  rapidly  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  wood,  if  a  small  one ;  but  early  in  season  it  is 
generally  reluctant  to  leave  the  wood  unless  hard 
pressed. 

A  stray  pheasant  on  being  suddenly  driven  up, 
often  mounts  very  high  in  the  air,  particularly  if  an 
old  cock. 

Many  sportsmen  reserve  their  fire  until  the  bird 
has  risen  to  its  full  height,  and  then  shoot  at  the 
moment  of  its  darting  off  over  the  tops  of  the  trees ; 
but  there  are  many  occasions  when  this  delay  is 
unwise,  and  the  shot  must  be  made  at  the  first  clear 
sight* 


FLIGHT   OP   PHEASANTS.  195 

The  startling  whirr  and  flutter  a  pheasant  makes 
on  suddenly  rising,  when  close  at  the  young  sports- 
man's feet,  more  frequently  than  otherwise  saves  its 
life,  by  so  thoroughly  discomposing  his  nerves  that  he 
fires,  and,  with  certainty,  misses  his  aim. 

The  poet  says  : — 

"  Should  pheasant  rise,  be  most  particular — 
He  rises  nearly  perpendicular  ; 
"Wait  a  few  seconds  till  your  sight 
Perceives  his  horizontal  flight." 

He  who  would  preserve  pheasants  and  keep  them 
to  his  coverts,  must  not  disturb  ihem  too  frequently, 
or  numbers  will  leave  the  wood  never  to  return. 

Pheasants  fly  further  on  being  much  frightened, 
and  stay  away  from  their  coverts  longer  than  any 
other  game. 


COYERT-SHOOTING, 

Or,  more  -properly,  shooting  in  coverts,  is  a  varied 
sport ;  some  men  prefer  it  to  any  other.  To  my  mind 
the  most  charming  branch  of  it  is  woodcock-shooting; 
but  as  this  is  already  treated  of  under  a  separate  head, 
it  will  be  unnecessary  to  discuss  it  here.  Pheasant 
and  rabbit  shooting  are  also  important  branches  of 


196  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

the  sport  of  covert-shooting ;  but  they  also  are  each 
discussed  under  their  own  heads. 

It  will,  therefore,  be  only  as  to  the  general  pursuit 
of  shooting  in  coverts,  that  these  remarks  will  be  de- 
voted. 

Game  of  all  kinds  acquire,  naturally,  the  habit  of 
learning  in  what  places  they  are  most  secure ;  and 
though  it  is  not  every  species  of  game  which  seeks 
the  protection  of  woods  and  thickets,  there  are  some 
species  whose  home  and  daily  resort  is  the  covert. 
-  As  the  season  advances  and  the  leaves  fall,  game  in 
the  coverts  diminishes.  The  sportsman  finds  less  and 
less  every  time  he  beats  the  woods.  Hares  do  not 
like  the  falling  of  the  leaf;  and  so  many  of  them  leave 
the  wood  and  get  into  the  open  fields ;  and  pheasants 
shift  their  ground  or  move  off"  on  the  first  approach 
of  noise  or  suspicion. 

It  is  therefore  necessary,  when  pheasants  are  very 
wild,  to  walk  through  the  woods  as  noiselessly  as 
possible. 

When  beating  the  wood  for  woodcocks  or  any 
other  game  that  may  be  found,  it  is  generally  desira- 
ble that  the  beaters  should  make  as  much  noise  as 
possible,  whilst  the  sportsmen  should  go  on  quietly 
in  advance.     And  the  sportsmen  who  have  the  good 


PvEADY,  BUT  NOT  IN  IMMEDIATE  EXPECTATION. 


COVERT-SHOOTING.  197 

luck  to  walk  outside  the  cover,  cannot  be  too  quiet ; 
they  should  keep  in  advance  of  the  beaters,  but  in 
line  with  those  in  the  wood. 

The  gun  for  shooting  in  covert  should  be  a  short- 
barrelled  breech-loader,  about  No.  twelve  gauge,  the 
length  of  barrels  not  more  than  two  feet  four  inches. 
A  gun  of  this  description  may  be  handled  and  used 
freely  among  the  bushes,  when  a  longer  one  would 
often  balk  the  shooter,  through  catching  against  the 
branches  of  brushwood. 

In  beating  long  narrow  strips  of  copse,  the  two 
sportsmen  should  walk  one  on  each  flank,  outside  the 
wood ;  about  thirty  or  forty  yards  in  advance  of  the 
beaters,  all  of  Avhom,  with  the  dogs,  should  go  inside. 

Beaters  must  stop  immediately  on  discharge  of  a 
gun,  and  go  on  again  at  command. 

Never  employ  a  deaf  man  or  boy  as  a  beater. 

A  retriever  is  very  useful  in  covert-shooting,  if  used 
for  retrieving  only. 

In  large  woods,  when  not  shooting  in  battue,  take 
every  advantage  of  open  places,  and  secure  free  scope 
for  firing.  Do  not  get  under  overhanging  branches. 
The  art  of  knowing  where  to  place  yourself  for  a  fa- 
vorable shot,  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  success  in  covert- 
shooting. 


198  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

And  do  not  refuse  fair  chances,  under  the  hope  or 
impression  of  meeting  with  better  ones. 

In  coverts,  the  paths  or  open  passages  are  called 
rides ;  and  lawns  or  openings  in  woods  are  termed 
glades. 

After  beating  a  covert,  the  adjoining  and  surround- 
ing hedges,  clumps,  and  bushes  should  be  beaten.  A 
very  exciting  finale  to  a  day's  sport  may  thus  be  ob- 
tained ;  particularly  in  pheasant-shooting. 

When  shooting  in  covert,  employ  plenty  of  dogs, 
for  "  many  dogs  find  most  game ;"  when  rabbit- 
shooting,  seek  out  a  clear  space  of  ground,  of  about 
ten  square  yards  or  more,  and  there  stand  as  still  as 
you  can,  and  you  will  assuredly  have  a  far  better  share 
of  the  sport  than  by  roaming  about  with  the  dogs. 

In  no  branch  of  the  sport  of  shooting  is  there 
greater  necessity  for  pointing  out  the  perils  attending 
it  than  in  covert-shooting. 

It  must  be  distinctly  impressed  on  the  minds  of 
persons  going  out  with  others  in  a  covert,  to  keep  in 
line ;  and  never  to  shoot  in  any  direction  where  you 
have  the  least  suspicion  another  person  may  be.  The 
danger  is  great  in  covers  where  the  ground  is  upon 
a  level,  but  it  is  increased  on  an  undulated  or  hilly 
surface. 


COVERT-SHOOTING.  199 

As  another  warning  to  my  young  friends,  I  add 
Ca^;tain  Lacy's  sad  tale  of  the  death  of  a  youth  who 
was  accidentally  killed  by  his  companions  whilst 
shooting  in  a  covert.     The  captain  says : 

^'  To  2)rove  what  even  a  single  small  shot-corn  may 
do,  we  have  an  instance  but  too  melancholy,  where 
one  of  a  party  who  had  just  been  shooting  in  covert 
was  missing,  but  was  shortly  afterwards  found  lying 
in  a  senseless  state ;  nor  could  this  for  some  time  be 
accounted  for  by  his  mournful  companions,  till  at  last 
some  one  discovered  a  very  small  speck  of  blood 
just  above  the  eyeball,  where  the  pellet  had  entered 
and  penetrated  the  brain.  Slight  as  the  injury  exter- 
nally appeared  to  be,  it  terminated  fatally  ;  and  thus 
was  a  fine  youth,  an  only  child,  and  the  sole  heir  to 
immense  wealth,  prematurely  cut  off — a  case  almost 
too  afflicting  to  commemorate,  further  than  as  it  may 
serve  as  a  salutary  warning  to  other  shooters  in  cov- 
ert, how  guardedly  cautious  at  all  times  they  ought 
to  be  in  observing  the  proper  time  and  direction  in 
which  they  may  venture  to  fire  with  perfect  safety." 


200  THE  DEAD  SHOT. 


THE  DUTY  OF  BEATERS. 

Though  a  sportsman  is  said  to  "  beat"  a  field  by 
simply  running  his  dog  over  it  in  search  of  game,  he 
himself  is  not  a  beater,  in  the  term  implied  in  sport- 
ing language. 

A  beater,  strictly  speaking,  is  one  who  accompanies 
the  sportsman;  and  with  a  staif,  beats  the  bushes^ 
fences,  covers,  or  whatever  else  may  harbor  the  game: 
his  object  in  beating  being  to  turn  it  out  into  the 
*'  open,"  so  that  the  sportsman  may  shoot  it  as  it  flies 
or  runs,  ^s  the  case  may  be. 

The  duty  of  beaters  is  therefore  very  simple,  but 
differs  according  to  the  nature  of  the  game,  the  coun- 
try, the  time  of  year,  and  other  circumstances. 

For  instance,  in  a  thick  cover,  when  beating  for 
pheasants  or  woodcocks,  the  more  noise  that  is  made 
the  better ;  whilst,  on  the  contrary,  when  beating  for 
grouse,  partridges,  snipes,  and  such  birds  as  are  not 
in  the  habit  of  frequenting  woods  and  thick  coverts^ 
but  generally  lie  in  low  ground-cover,  the  beaters 
cannot  be  too  silent :  they  should  approach  likely 
shots  as  noiselessly  as  possible,  and  then  suddenly 
beat  out  the  game. 


THE    DUTY    OF    BEATEKS.  201 

The  beater  should  never  call  out,  on  starting  any- 
thing in  front  of  him  ;  because  the  sportsman,  if  at- 
tending to  his  duty,  is  sure  to  see  it.  It  is  only  in 
case  of  any  thing  turning  back  or  going  in  a  contrary 
direction  that  the  beater  should  break  silence ;  and 
then  only  by  simply  calling  out  "Back!"  or  "Be- 
hind!" and  instantly  jumping  into  the  ditch  to  get 
out  of  the  way,  as  he  says  the  word. 

The  moment  the  sportsman  has  fired  his  gun,  the 
beater  should  stand  still,  and  encourage  the  dogs  to 
do  the  like,  whilst  the  gun  is  being  reloaded ;  after 
which  he  may  go  and  pick  up  the  game. 

On  beating  a  wood,  the  beaters,  who  generally 
consist  of  two  or  more,  should  keep  strictly  in  line  as 
they  pass  through  beating  every  bit  of  cover  likely  to 
harbor  the  game  in  pursuit :  and  on  any  one  or  more 
of  the  sportsmen  discharging  their  guns,  the  whole 
line  of  beaters,  as  well  as  the  sportsmen,  should  stand 
still,  and  not  advance  a  step  until  the  guns  are  all  re- 
loaded, and  the  signal  given  to  "  go  on !" 

On  beating  a  fence,  if  only  one  beater,  the  sports- 
man should  go  on  the  opposite  side  ;  but  taking  care 
to  keep  in  line  with  him.  If  there  be  a  beater  on 
each  side  of  the  fence,  the  same  strictness,  as  to  keep- 
ing in  line  with  each  other  must  be  observed. 
9* 


202  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 


THE  BATTUE. 

Battue  is  a  word  derived  from  the  French :  literally, 
it  is  "  bush-beating."  But  in  this  country  it  signifies 
a  party  of  sportsmen  beating  a  covert  by  walking  in 
line,  at  equal  distances  apart,  for  the  purpose  of  shoot- 
ing game :  a  number  of  beaters  and  game  gatherers 
following :  generally  one  between  each  two  sports- 
men. And  in  this  manner,  hundreds  of  pheasants 
and  hares  are  sometimes  slaughtered  in  the  space  of 
a  few  hours.  In  preserves  which  are  swarming  with 
game,  a  battue  certainly  bears  the  aspect  of  wanton 
sport.  Whenever  a  shot  is  fired  by  either  of  the 
party,  the  whole  of  the  beaters  and  sportsmen  halt  in 
lines  abreast,  whilst  the  discharged  gun  is  reloaded : 
and  the  success  depends  very  much  on  the  discipline 
and  strict  obedience  of  the  sportsmen  to  this  injunc- 
tion. 

It  is  a  general  rule  at  battue,  that  hen  pheasants 
should  be  spared ;  and  cocks  only  shot.  And  this 
rule  also  prevails  in  the  Highlands  as  to  grey-hens 
(the  females  of  the  black  cock),  which  are  always 
spared  by  sportsmen  who  advocate  the  increase  of 
game. 


THE    BATTUE. 


203 


In  battue,  whenever  a  hen  rises,  the  signal  "  ware 
hen !"  is  called  out  by  the  sportsman  or  beater  who 
is  nearest  it :  meaning  thereby  "beware  of  the  hen  ;" 
or,  literally,  "  do  not  shoot  the  hen  pheasant."  In 
most  places  where  game  is  very  strictly  preserved, 
and  the  rules  of  sporting  firmly  adhered  to,  a  fine  is 
imposed  on  any  one  who  kills  a  hen  pheasant  in  bat- 
tue. And,  according  to  the  "  Oakleigh  shooting  code," 
there  are  several  other  fines  which  are  strictly  en- 
forced among  sportsmen  in  IN'orth  Stafibrdshire. 


Table  op  Finbs  payable  on  Oakleigh  Manob,  Noeth 
Staffordshire. 


Killing  a  grey-hen  or  hen-pheasant    . 

For  a  second  the  same  day 

For  a  third,  fourth,  fifth,  &c.,  each 

Dropping  two  or  more  birds  from  one  barrel    . 

Shooting  at  black  game,  red-grouse,  pheasants,  or  par- 
tridges on  the  ground  .... 

And  for  every  bird  so  killed      .... 

Killing  a  bird  not  in  season       .... 

Shooting  at  a  bird  not  in  season        .  .  . 

Shooting  at  a  hare  (leverets  allowed)  between  10th 
February  and  1st  September 

Shooting  at  a  snipe  between  10th  February  and  1st 
August  ...... 


£ 
0 
0 

0  10 
0    2 


s.  d. 

2     6 

1     6 

0 

6 

0 
0 

0 
6 


0     2     6 


0     2     6 


In  some  counties  the  fine  for  shooting  a  hen  pheas- 
ant is  half  a  guinea. 


204  -  THE  dp:ad  shot. 

These  fines  are  strictly  insisted  on  in  many  places  : 
they  are  handed  over  to  the  gamekeepers  who  belong 
to  the  estate. 

Xo  dogs  need  be  used  in  battue,  but  beaters 
only:  and  it  should  be  remembered  that  pheasants 
always  run  to  the  end  or  side  of  the  cover  before 
taking  flight,  unless  they  are  much  pressed :  conse- 
quently the  best  sport  always  comes  at  the  extreme 
end  of  the  wood. 

It  is  usual  on  the  day  or  morning  before  a  battue, 
to  place  nets  about  three  or  four  feet  high,  at  inter- 
vals, and  round  the  further  end,  side,  and  boundaries 
of  the  covert,  in  order  to  prevent  the  pheasants  from 
running  out ;  which  numbers  of  them  would  other- 
wise do.  On  reaching  the  net,  after  attempting  to 
get  through,  they  run  back  in  the  direction  of  the 
beaters,  and  are  then  compelled  to  fly.  The  best 
shooting  always  takes  place  at  the  end  of  the  covert ; 
where,  being  ,  driven  into  close  quarters,  the  birds 
are  at  last  obliged  to  take  to  their  wings.  Without 
nets  few  shots  only  could  be  had ;  but  immense 
slaughter  may  be  made  by  preventing  the  pheasants 
running  out  of  the  covert. 

When  getting  near  the  end  of  a  wood  which  has 
been    closely  beaten,  the    two    outside    sportsmen 


THE    BATTUE.  205 

should  go  forward  and  stand  perfectly  still,  keeping 
a  sharp  look  out.  There  are  almost  sure  to  be  soms, 
skulkers  reluctant  to  leave  their  retreat.  On  thesa 
occasions  pheasants  often  squat  in  the  last  clump  of 
thick  bushes ;  which  they  will  not  quit  until  harxJ 
pressed. 

After  a  battue,  always  beat  the  boundary  fences 
and  adjacent  hedgerows.  Good  clear  shots  may 
thus  be  obtained. 

Only  two  or  three  battues  are  allowed  in  the  course 
of  the  year  in  any  one  covert,  where  the  proprietor 
wishes  to  keep  up  his  preserves.  Pheasants  would 
forsake  the  cover  if  too  often  subject  to  these  terrific 
onslaughts. 

At  battues  it  is  by  no  means  unusual  for  each 
sportsman  to  be  attended  by  his  own  servant,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  keep  a  score  of  all  the  game  his  master 
kills  ;  and  as  three  or  four  guns  are  sometimes  fired 
at  the  same  bird,  by  different  sportsmen  within 
range ;  and  as  each  person  who  fires  claims  the 
credit  of  killing,  and  directs  his  servant  to  score 
accordingly,  at  the  end  of  the  day's  sport  it  is  found 
there  are  very  many  more  birds  scored  than  can  be 
found  in  the  game-bag. 

Some  gentlemen,  proprietors  of   game  preserves, 


206  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

who  have  a  motive  or  whim  in  making  an  exag- 
gerated return  of  the  abundance  of  game  on  their 
preserves,  shut  their  eyes  to  such  inaccuracies,  and 
take  pleasure  in  sending  to  the  press  a  report  of  the 
number  of  head  of  game  killed  on  a  certain  day.  In 
many  instances  these  reports,  being  taken  from  the 
individual  scoring  cards  of  each  sportsman,  are 
grossly  inaccurate  ;  and  sometimes  double  the  num- 
ber of  head  actually  bagged,  are  put  down  as  killed. 
A  breech-loader  is  the  best  sort  of  gun  for  a 
battue,  because  of  the  rapidity  with  which  shots 
may  be  had,  particularly  on  arriving  at  an  extremity 
of  the  cover,  where  the  nets  prevent  the  pheasants 
from  running  out ;  and  they  then  rise  up  in  such 
numbers  that  a  quick  succession  of  shots  may  be 
made  by  an  active  sportsman. 


SNIPE-SHOOTING. 

This  sport  may  very  justly  be  termed  the  zenith 
of  the  art  of  shooting  flying.  It  is  the  truest  test 
of  good  shooting ;  none  but  good  shots  are  able  to 
make  up  a  bag,  or  kill  their  ten  couple  of  snipes  in  a 
day.  Bad  shots  and  young  sportsmen  fire  away 
pounds  of  ammunition  at  snipes  without  touching  a 


SNIPE-SHOOTING.  207 

feather.  In  \hQJac7c  snipes  they  are  sorely  puzzled ; 
in  the  common  or  whole  snipe,  they  find  their  match. 

The  most  skilful  sportsmen  often  miss  them; 
though  when  well  practised  at  snipes,  more  than  at 
any  other  objects  of  the  gun,  a  good  shot  kills  al- 
most every  one  he  fires  at. 

It  is  a  sport  peculiar  in  itself,  for  it  may  be  had  in 
all  quarters  of  the  globe  ;  but  it  is  one  that  requires 
considerable  practice,  with  some  knowledge  of  their 
habits,  and  also  of  the  mode  of  searching  for  them. 
And  to  my  mind  they  are  well  worth  the  trouble ; 
for  a  snipe,  though  but  a  mouthful,  is  one  of  the 
choicest  of  tidbits  that  is  brought  to  the  breakfast 
table. 

Activity  in  the  movements  of  the  body,  with  steadi- 
ness in  handling  the  gun,  and  a  quick  and  accurate 
eye,  are  among  the  first  essentials  in  the  snipe  shot. 

Snipes  arrive  during -the  latter  part  of  September, 
and  in  October;  but  in  much  larger  numbers  in 
November  and  December. 

They  generally  lie  better  during  windy  weather 
than  at  any  other  time ;  and  by  reason  of  their 
flying  against  wind  on  being  disturbed,  they  are  a 
steadier  and  easier  mark  for  the  sportsman  then  than 
on  other  occasions. 


208  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

They  are  puzzling  to  the  sportsman  on  bright 
cheerful  days,  and  during  white  frosts,  by  reason  of 
the  greater  vigilance  and  activity  which  they  dis- 
play. 

It  is  an  error  to  suppose  that  the  slightest  touch 
of  the  shot  will  bring  them  down.  It  depends  en- 
tirely upon  where  the  shot  strikes.  Their  bones  are 
very  small  and  delicate,  and  their  feathers  very 
penetrable,  therefore  one  pellet  of  No.  8  or  9  shot 
may  sometimes  break  a  wing  or  strike  in  a  vital 
part;  in  either  case  the  bird  must  fall.  But  a  snipe 
will  sometimes  fly  away  with  three  or  four  shot  in 
its  body. 

The  general  reason  why  young  sportsmen  miss 
snipes  is,  because  they  shoot  neither  forward  enough 
nor  high  enough.  They  are  such  extremely  active 
birds  on  wing,  that  a  slow  or  careless  shot  stands  a 
poor  chance  of  killing  them.- 

I  recommend  a  breech-loader  for  snipe-shooting, 
for  the  reasons  stated  at  page  52.  When  snipes  are 
abundant,  it  is  a  common  occurrence  for  some  to  get 
up  whilst  the  sportsman  is  reloading.  Rapidity  of 
loading  is,  therefore,  of  great  consideration  is  snipe- 
shooting.  And,  as  snipe-walks  are  generally  very 
wet,  the  annoyance  of  placing  the  but -end  of  your 


SNIPE-SHOOTING.  209 

gun  on  the  ground  to  reload  is  avoided  with  a 
breech-loader. 

Shot  of  the  size  N"o.  7  or  8  is  best  for  snipe- 
shooting. 

When  a  snipe  crosses  either  to  right  or  left  be  sure 
to  shoot  well  in  advance  ;  and,  if  a  long  shot,  a  foot 
or  more  is  not  an  inch  too  much. 

If  the  bird  rises  at  thirty  yards  distance,  knock  it 
down  as  soon  as  possible,  and  before  it  commences 
those  graceful  evolutions  which  have  so  frequently 
been  the  theme  of  admiration. 

But  when  snipes  rise  at  your  feet,  or  within  twenty 
yards,  give  them  more  time  ;  and  the  unsteady  flight 
with  which  they  start  off  will  have  settled  into  a 
quieter  motion  of  the  wings ;  and  the  sportsmen  will 
thereby  make  a  surer  mark,  and  be  more  likely  to 
bring  his  bird  to  bag. 

But  it  is  only  when  they  lie  well,  and  rise  within 
a  short  distance,  that  they  can  be  allowed  to  com- 
plete their  zigzags ;  the  greater  number  of  shots, 
it  will  be  found,  must  be  made  in  double-quick  time. 

When  looking  for  snipes,  walk  steadily  and  si- 
lently ;  with  the  eye  ranging  well  in  advance. 

Always  work  down  wind  when  in  search  of 
snipes ;  because,   on  being   disturbed,   they   fly   up 


210  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

wind,  and  so  pass  to  the  right  or  left  of  the  sports- 
man, within  fair  range.  If  the  sportsman  proceeds 
in  a  contrary  direction,  so  rapidly  does  the  snipe  fly 
from  him,  that  it  is  out  of  range  before  he  can  ac- 
curately level  his  gun. 

A  pointer  or  setter  may  be  easily  trained  to  stand 
at  snipes,  and  an  active  dog  so  trained  is  of  great 
service  in  snipe-shooting ;  but  by  reason  of  the 
necessity  of  going  down  wind  whenever  you  can, 
the  dog  should  be  taught  to  hunt  at  right  angles  to 
the  wind.  When  the  dog  stands,  make  a  circle, 
and  head  him  from  the  leewardmost  position. 

Snipes  do  not  lie  about  frozen  places ;  they  may  be 
found  in  small  rivulets  and  unfrozen  waters,  in  dykes, 
bogs,  and  marshes,  during  frosty  weather. 

The  most  unlikely  time  to  find  snipes  in  their  usual 
haunts  is  during  a  white  frost ;  on  occasions  of  the 
kind  they  assemble  in  "  wisps,"  and  take  to  the  up- 
lands, and  on  being  disturbed  spring  altogether. 

In  cloudy,  threatening  weather,  and  sometimes  on 
warm  days,  snipes  lie  close ;  and  on  being  disturbed, 
fly  with  less  activity,  and  altogether  in  a  steadier  and 
lazier  manner;  on  such  occasions  they  are  easy  to 
shoot. 

Jack  snipes   always   lie   close,   especially  in  long 


SNIPE-SHOOTING.  211 

grass,  from  which  they  will  not  rise  without  very- 
close  beating;  and  then  they  are  so  foolish  as  to  pitch 
again  and  again  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  same 
spot;  and  sometimes  giving  the  bad  shot  six  or  seven 
chances  ere  they  can  be  frightened  far  from  their 
haunts. 

Day  after  day  the  same  jack  snipes  may  be  found 
in  the  same  walks  and  the  same  spots ;  and  day  by 
day  the  novice  may  fire  away  at  them  to  no  purpose ; 
for  though  they  rise  at  his  feet,  he  constantly  misses 
them  ;  and  so,  a  couple  of  jack  snipes  may  afford  him 
a  week's  sport  ere  he  brings  them  to  the  bag ;  indeed 
such  is  no  uncommon  occurrence. 

Young  sportsmen  frequently  fancy  from  these  birds 
pitching  again  so  soon,  that  they  are  wounded ;  and 
he  rushes  forward  under  an  impression  that  the  bird 
will  "  never  rise  again."  His  delusion,  however,  soon 
subsides,  as  the  tortuous  little  creature  darts  off  again 
another  hundred  yards,  and  so  on,  working  its  young 
persecutor  into  a  state  of  great  excitement. 

"  So  swift  a  bird  is  apt  to  make 
Young  shots  with  indecision  shake  ; 
Such  are  indebted  when  they  kill 
Much  more  to  fortune  than  to  skill." 

The  common  snipe  is  an  extremely  watchful  bird : 


212  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

and  a  sportsman  must  tread  the  marsh  lightly  as  a 
fairy,  if  he  hopes  to  get  within  point  blank  range 
of  it. 

On  heaths  and  rush-clad  hills,  and  in  turnip  fields, 
they  are  less  exposed  and  less  difficult  of  approach. 

The  chances  are  twenty  to  one  against  a  novice 
killing  a  common  snipe. 

The  great  snipe  is  by  no  means  a  difficult  bird  to 
kill ;  not  only  on  account  of  its  larger  size,  but  because 
of  its  steadier  flight  and  more  sluggish  habits.  It 
generally  lies  well,  and  ofiers  a  fair  chance  to  the 
sportsman.  They  are,  however,  scarce  birds,  but  de- 
licious morsels. 

A  keen-eyed  sportsman  distingaishes  its  species  the 
moment  it  rises  from  the  ground,  by  reason  of  its  red 
tail  and  heavy  body,  with  white  in  the  under  part. 
When  disturbed,  they  generally  pitch  again  within  a 
very  short  distance. 

All  snipes  are  uncertain  in  their  movements.  When- 
ever good  sport  is  had,  it  is  generally  unexpectedly : 
and  vice  versd,  sometimes  when  the  weather  appears 
to  be  exactly  suited  for  finding  them  in  certain  haunts, 
the  sportsman  is  disappointed.  Therefore  when  plenty 
of  snipes  are  found,  make  the  most  of  your  sport. 
One  frosty  night  will  drive  them  from  their  haunts. 


SNIPE-SHOOTIKG.  213 

In  boisterous  weather,  snipes  are  more  scattered 
about  the  walks.  It  is  in  frosty  weather  and  bright 
sunny  days  that  they  are  more  frequently  seen  in 
wisps. 

On  shooting  a  snipe,  keep  your  eye  on  the  spot 
where  it  falls,  or  carefully  mark  it  by  some  conspicu- 
ous object,  whilst  reloading :  a  dead  or  wounded  snipe 
is  sometimes  difficult  to  find.  If  it  falls  into  the  water, 
wipe  the  feathers  dry  before  putting  it  in  your  pocket. 

If  you  are  a  very  quick  shot,  and  can  handle  your 
gun  dexterously,  you  will  never  do  wrong  by  shoot- 
ing at  a  snipe  the  moment  it  rises  to  the  level  of  your 
shoulder :  that  is  to  say,  Avhenever  it  gets  up  at  thirty 
yards'  distance  and  upwards.  The  snipe  has  neither 
way  nor  speed  upon  it  at  first,  and  is  as  steady  a 
mark  as  can  be  desired  at  the  moment  alluded  to : 
but  after  flying  about  twenty  paces  it  is  at  the  top  of 
its  speed.  Therefore,  when  snipes  are  wild,  knock 
them  down  whilst  they  cry  "scaipe!"  or  rather 
"  schayich !"  which  they  generally  do  as  they  spring 
from  the  bog. 

December  is  always  the  best  month  for  snipe-shoot- 
ing, particularly  if  no  severe  frosts  prevail. 


214  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  SNIPES. 

The  flight  of  these  birds  is  swift,  graceful,  and 
beautiful  in  the  extreme.  There  is  no  bird  whose 
flight  is  more  to  be  admired.  Sportsmen  gaze  at 
them  with  pleasure;  whilst  the  naturalist  beholds 
them  with  curious  admiration,  as  they  gracefully 
whirl  through  the  air  in  semicircular  ascent;  after 
performing  the  prettiest  and  most  perfect  flittings,  al- 
ternately to  right  and  left,  as  if  to  gather  speed  as  a 
skater,  wherewith  to  assist  in  more  elegant  evolu- 
tions. The  snipe,  like  the  skater,  then  glances  off 
into  an  elliptical  gyration ;  and  then,  after  five  or  ten 
minutes'  performance  in  the  air,  often  drops  again 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  same  spot  as  that  from 
whence  it  sprang ;  but  sometimes  running  a  few  yards 
after  alighting. 

On  rising  from  the  ground,  a  snipe  starts  with  a 
rapid  zigzag  motion ;  darting  off  with  powerful  strokes 
of  its  wings  a  few  yards ;  and  then,  raising  its  head 
as  if  to  look  around,  steadily  soars,  and  commences  a 
tortuous  line  of  flight.  It  is  just  at  the  finish  of  its 
twistings,  and  at  the  commencement  of  its  curvilinear 
course,  that  it  offers  the  best  mark  to  the  sportsman  ; 


THE  FLIGHT   OF   SNIPES.  215 

but,  as  it  is  very  joften  out  of  range  before  the  zigzag 
performances  are  concluded,  it  will  not  always  be 
prudent  to  wait  for  the  better  chance,  but  rather  try 
your  skill  at  the  bird  in  its  most  puzzling  form  of 
flight. 

On  warm,  windy,  and  cloudy  days,  snipes  fly  with 
lazier  and  more  careless  effort  than  on  bright  or 
frosty  days. 

It  is  the  common  snipe  which  is  the  most  active  and 
vigilant  in  all  its  motions,  and  consequently  the  most 
difficult  to  kill.  The  large  snipe  is  not  so  wild : 
though  in  the  motion  of  its  wings,  the  form  and  line 
of  flight  resemble  the  other  ;  still  it  is  less  rapid  and 
tortuous.  On  rising  from  the  mire,  the  large  snipe 
often  soars  up  perpendicularly  in  the  air  several 
yards ;  so  that,  when  flushed  at  the  feet  of  the 
sportsman,  the  bird  seems  to  soar  directly  over  his 
head. 

The  flight  of  the  jack  snipe  is  similar  to  the  large 
snipe,  with  the  exception  that  it  never  soars  high  in 
the  air  on  first  springing  from  the  ground  ;  and  very 
seldom  performs  any  of  those  elliptical  evolutions  so 
much  admired  in  the  common  snipe. 

Some  sportsmen,  good  shots  in  other  respects,  do 
not  shoot  at  snipes,  because  of  the  difficulty  they 


216  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

experience  in  hitting  them.  The  fact  is,  they  have 
never  carefully  watched  and  considered  the  flight  of 
the  snipe,  in  its  varied  and  beautiful  gyrations,  or 
they  might  kill  them  as  certainly  as  they  do  any  other 
birds. 

HAEES. 

I  am  one  of  those  who  consider  hares  ought  never 
to  be  shot ;  they  cannot  fairly  be  looked  upon  as 
legitimate  objects  of  the  sportsman's  gun,  but  are  the 
indisputable  animals  of  the  courser's  chase. 

"And  let  the  courser  and  the  hunter  share 
Their  just  and  proper  title  to  the  hare. 

The  tracing  hound  hy  nature  was  designed 
Both  for  the  use  and  pleasure  of  mankind ; 
Form'd  for  the  hare,  the  hare  too  for  the  hound, 
In  enmity  each  to  each  other  bound." 

Foxes  have  a  j)assport  which  holds  them  free  from 
harm,  though  they  run  the  gauntlet  of  a  thousand 
guns;  and  why  should  not  the  same  privilege  be 
granted  to  the  hare  ? 

When  a  hare  jumps  off  its  form,  within  range  of 
the  gun,  it  is  so  fair  a  mark  that  it  can  seldom  be 
missed  by  the  most  juvenile  of  sportsmen;  and  if 
not  killed,  is  almost  certain  to  be  wounded. 


HAEES,  217 

In  order  to  kill  a  hare  on  the  spot,  at  a  reasonable 
distance,  running  straight  away,  the  gun  should  be 
levelled  at  the  tips  of  the  ears,  if  they  are  standing ; 
but  if  the  ears  are  thrown  back  on  the  shoulders,  the 
aim  should  be  just  over  the  forehead,  and  slightly  in 
advance  of  the  nose.  If  young  sportsmen  would 
only  remember  this  when  wishing  to  shoot  a  hare 
running  from  them,  they  would  never  fail  to  kill  on 
the  spot,  at  any  distance  between  twenty-five  and 
forty  yards.  Observing  that  the  greater  the  dis- 
tance, the  higher  and  more  advanced  must  be  the 
aim. 

In  shooting  at  a  hare  running  across  to  right  or 
left,  aim  well  in  advance ;  and  if  far  ofi",  as  high  as 
the  tips  of  the  ears  would  be  if  erect. 

When  the  hare  is  running  across  ploughed  or 
ridged  land,  be  careful  to  fire  as  it  rises  to  the  crown 
of  the  ridge;  not  whilst  dipping  its  head  in  the 
furrow.  Unless  this  is  attended  to,  the  chances  of 
killing  are  very  remote.  In  shooting  at  a  hare  in 
turnips  or  mangold,  fire  well  in  advance,  or  you  will 
not  kill  her. 

The  remark  made  elsewhere  in  these  pages,  that  a 
bird  may  be  killed  at  a  greater  distance  when  cross- 
ing than  when  running  from  or  approaching  the 
10 


218  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

sportsman,  applies  with  equal  force  to  hares  and 
rabbits;  which  may  sometimes  be  killed  ten  or 
twenty  yards  further  in  cross  than  in  straight-away 
shots. 

When  the  sportsman  sees  a  hare  approaching  him, 
he  should  stand  as  motionless  as  possible  until  it  is 
abroad-side,  and  then  fire  as  soon  as  practicable,  and 
according  to  the  rules  before  laid  down  ;  bearing  in 
mind  the  necessity  of  regulating  his  aim  according 
to  distance. 

Use  No.  4  shot  for  a  hare  ;  and  do  not  fire  at  too 
great  or  doubtful  distances. 

In  a  neio:hborhood  where  hares  are  not  much 
hunted,  they  lie  very  close  on  open  fields,  and  often 
get  up  at  the  feet  of  the  sportsman  ;  on  such  occa- 
sions they  jump  off  their  form,  and  then  run  at  a 
tremendous  pace ;  but  when  much  hunted,  they  be- 
come less  trustful,  and  steal  off  slyly  on  suspicion  of 
danger,  running  away  at  the  top  of  their  speed. 

In  stubble  and  fallow  fields,  hares  generally  He 
within  a  range  of  thirty  or  forty  yards  from  the 
hedge.  Those  are  the  favorite  and  most  likely  dis- 
tances at  which  to  find  a  hare,  be  the  size  of  the  field 
what  it  may. 

In  wet  weather  hares  prefer  high  ground.     In  dry 


I 


THE  CAPPING,  OR  TUBING  POSITION, 


I 


RABBir-SHOOTTN-G.  219 

weather  they  lie  most  in  the  valleys  and  lowlands. 
But  they  are  sometimes  very  uncertain,  and  where 
you  feel  almost  sure  of  finding  a  hare,  you  find,  in- 
stead, an  empty  form. 

Before  seating  itself,  and  particularly  after  having 
been  chased  by  dogs,  a  hare  will  sometimes  take  a 
long  leap  into  its  form,  so  as  to  cut  of  the  scent. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  further  a  hare  is  found  from 
any  covert,  the  better  it  will  run  ;  it  shows  the  great- 
er confidence  in  its  speed. 

-  The  favorite  outlying  places  of  a  hare  are  wheat- 
stubbles,  fallows,  clover,  and  grass-lands. 

When  a  hare  is  chased  by  a  dog  across  a  fallow,  it 
will  assuredly  turn  into  a  furrow,  ere  it  proceeds  far 
across  the  ridges. 


RABBIT-SHOOTING. 

If  not  good  sport,  this  is  unquestionably  capital 
fun.  Young  sportsmen  are  particularly  fond  of  it ; 
and  it  is  very  good  jDractice,  teaching  them  to  "  look 
sharp,"  and  be  quick  in  handling  the  gun. 

As  this  sport  is  pursued  with  much  greater  zeal  by 
young  sportsmen  than  by  old  ones,  it  is  necessary  to 
warn  the  inexperienced  of  the  dangers  attending  it, 


220  THE  DEAD  SHOT. 

and  to  remind  them  that  many  deplorable  accidents 
have  arisen  through  the  indiscretion  and  over-eager, 
ness  of  young  rabbit-shooters* 

There  is  one  universal  rule  in  this  sport  which 
should  be  strictly  observed  from  one  end  of  the  land 
to  the  other,  which  is  this  : 

"  Beware  of  shooting  at  a  rabbit  in  the  hedge." 
Though  ever  so  fair  a  chance  offers,  and  though  you 
may  feel  certain  there  is  no  one  on  the  other  side  of 
the  fence,  make  it  a  rule  through  life,  never,  under 
any  circumstancees^  to  fire  at  any  thing,  whether  rab- 
bit, bird,  or  otherwise,  in  the  hedge.  Though  the 
chances  be  ever  so  inviting,  and  your  confidence  ever 
so  great,  do  not  for  the  sake  of  killiug  a  paltry  httle 
creature,  incur  the  risk  of  killing,  maiming,  or  blind- 
ing for  life,  a  human  being,  a  horse,  a  cow,  or  some 
other  valuable  animal  which  may  be  on  the  other  side 
of  the  bushes. 

All  experienced  sportsmen  are  so  extremely  tena- 
cious on  this  point,  that  if  they  saw  a  fellow-sports- 
man infringe  it,  they  would  never  again  go  out  with 
him  so  long  as  he  carried  a  gun.  And  I  have  seen  an 
old  sportsman  take  a  gun  from  a  youth  who  shot  a 
rabbit  whilst  it  was  running  along  the  hedge,  box 
his  ears,  and  send  him  off  home,  with  a  prohibition 


EABBIT-SHOOTING.  221 

that  he  should  never  again  bring  a   gun  upon  his 
estate. 

Those  only  who  have  seen  narrow  escapes  (as  I 
have),  can  truly  estimate  the  importance  of  a  firm  ad- 
herence,  through  life,  to  this  simple  rule,  "Never 
shoot  at  any  thing  in  a  hedge."  A  disregard  of  it 
has  embittered  with  sorrow  the  cup  of  life  of  many  a 
father,  brother,  friend,  and  near  and  dear  relative. 

"  Ye  parents,  let  your  sons  these  stories  know, 
And  thus  you  may  prevent  the  distant  woe." 

"  Such  sad  events  in  every  place  have  been. 
Such  fatal  ends  have  darkened  every  scene." 

Rabbits  are  among  the  most  prolific  animals  in  the 
world.  Daniel,  in  his  "  Rural  Sports,"  says  :  "  they 
breed  at  six  months  old,  bear  seven  times  annually, 
and  bring  five  young  ones  each  time." 

It  is  therefore  very  easy  to  get  up  a  rabbit  war- 
ren anywhere,  and  in  a  very  short  time. 

Rabbit-shooting  in  a  covert,  where  here  and  there 
a  clear  plot  of  ground  can  be  found,  is  lively  sport ; 
and  it  is  the  same  in  parks,  and  on  heath-land,  where 
there  are  extensive  beds  of  fern  and  furze.  Rides 
should  be  cut  and  cleared  through  it,  and  then  capi- 
tal snap-shooting  may  be  had. 

For  rabbit-shooting,  plenty  of  small  dogs  are  re- 


222  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

quired,  to  scuttle  about  the  bushes  and  thickets,  to 
turn  the  rabbits  out ;  for  they  sometimes  require  a 
great  deal  of  pressing  before  they  will  quit  their 
hiding-places. 

The  sportsman  should  stand  perfectly  still  and  si- 
lent whilst  his  dogs  are  hunting,  keep  a  vigilant  look- 
out on  the  clear  space  of  ground  in  front  of  him;  and 
on  the  rabbits  crossing  it,  which  they  are  sure  to  do 
when  hard  pressed,  he  will  find  it  capital  fun  to  knock 
them  over.  Shoot  well  in  advance,  aiming  just  in  front 
of  bunnie's  nose,  and  you  may  be  sure  of  killing.  Fix 
your  eye  on  the  head  of  the  rabbit,  as  if  that  were  the 
only  vulnerable  part. 

The  thick  fur  coat  of  a  rabbit  is  a  j)owerful  resister 
to  shot ;  and  unless  the  shot  strikes  a  vital  part,  there 
is  no  certainty  of  killing  a  rabbit  beyond  thirty-five 
yards'  distance.  A  small  light  gun  will  do  for  rabbit- 
shooting;  and  the  best  sized  shot  is  ISTo.  5. 

Rabbits  are  very  active  and  tenacious  of  life.  Un- 
less hit  severely,  they  are  sure  to  get  away,  and  crawl 
into  a  burrow  and  die. 

Calm,  fine  weather  is  best  for  the  sport.  Cold  north 
winds  are  always  unfavorable. 

As  soon  as  ever  the  rabbit  is  clear  of  the  fence  or 
thicket  (if  at  a  reasonable  distance),  the  sportsman 


SNAP-SHOOTING.  223 

should  shoot.  Take  the  first  chance,  for  it  is  seldom 
a  second  offers. 

On  warm,  sunny  days,  when  rabbits  lie  out,  they 
are  more  fond  of  lying  in  tufts  of  grass  than  in  any 
thing  else.  They  are  generally  pretty  close  to  the 
hedge,  and  will  assuredly  make  for  it  on  being 
started. 

Be  careful  not  to  shoot  the  dog  instead  of  the 
rabbit.  All  dogs  have  a  strong  propensity  for  chasing 
rabbits,  and  run  after  them  with  their  noses  close  to 
the  scut.  Whenever  a  dog  is  very  close  upon  the 
rabbit,  the  sportsman  should  never  shoot ;  unless,  in 
his  cruelty,  he  had  rather  kill  or  blind  the  dog,  than 
shoot  the  rabbit. 

Snap-shooting  to  perfection  may  be  had  with  rab- 
bits in  a  low  cover  up  which  a  ride  is  cut  and  cleared. 
One  side  of  it  should  be  hunted  at  a  time ;  and  so, 
after  all  the  rabbits  are  driven  across  the  ride  from 
one  cover,  they  can  be  beaten  back  again,  and  so 
made  to  run  the  gauntlet  a  second  time.  In  order  to 
become  a  good  snap-shot,  a  man  must  have  a  very 
quick,  ready  hand,  and  a  watchful  eye. 

Ferreting  rabbits  is  slow  sport  compared  with  the 
other  ;  though  sometimes,  when  they  "  bolt  well,"  it 
is  very  good  fun.     Choose  a  calm  sunny  day  for  fer- 


224  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

reting.  Keep  your  tongue  quiet  and  stand  still,  but 
never  in  front  of  a  hole.  If  a  rabbit  comes  to  the 
mouth  of  the  burrow,  and  sees  a  dog  or  a  man  in 
front,  it  is  ten  to  one  but  it  will  retreat.  But  where 
strict  silence  is  observed,  and  every  one  keeps  in  his 
place,  the  rabbit  will  steal  out,  pause,  look  around, 
and  then  dart  oif  at  the  top  of  its  speed. 

When  a  ferret  lays  up,  the  best  mode  of  drawing 
it  is,  to  rip  open  the  belly  of  a  newly-killed  rabbit 
and  thrust  it  into  the  hole  on  the  windward  side  of 
the  burrow ;  the  fumes  of  the  warm  entrails  are 
generally  irresistible  to  the  ferret,  and  draw  it,  as  if 
by  magic,  to  the  scent. 

Excellent  practice  with  the  pea-rifle  may  be  had, 
on  summer  evenings,  by  hiding  within  range  of  a 
spot  where  rabbits  creep  out  to  feed.  A  meadow,  or 
park  skirting  a  wood,  is  exceedingly  favorable  for  this 
sport. 

The  months  of  December  and  January  afford  the 
favorite  time  and  season  for  rabbit-shooting  and  fer- 
reting. 


A   FEW    STRAY    HmTS.  225 


A   FEW  STEAT  HINTS. 

Never  put  a  ramrod  down  an  empty  barrel  after 
the  gun  has  been  discharged ;  because  it  loosens 
adhering  substances,  which  block  up  the  nipples,  and 
cause  a  mis-fire. 

If  your  shooting-ground  lies  at  a  distance  from 
home,  always  let  your  dogs  ride  there ;  and  the  same 
on  returning. 

Do  not  toil  too  hard  at  the  sport,  particularly  if 
you  are  not  very  strong.  Over-exertion  weakens  the 
nerves  and  injures  the  constitution. 

The  sportsman,  during  the  month  of  September, 
should  never  take  the  field  without  a  knife,  a  drinking- 
horn,  and  a  shilling  for  largesse. 

By  keeping  a  few  of  the  most  central  fields  on 
your  manor  quiet,  and  seldom  or  ever  shooting  in 
them,  you  have  always  a  nursery  to  which  your 
frightened  birds  will  resort ;  and  your  stock  of  game 
will  be  maintained. 

Always  allow  game  to  cool  thoroughly  before 
packing  it ;  or  you  may  have  the  mortification  of 
10* 


226  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

receiving  an  acknowledgment  from  your  friends  at  a 
distance,  of  a  hamper  of  game,  which  arrived  "  un 
peu  trop  hauty 

Always  hang  up  your  birds  in  the  larder  by  the  legs, 
with  their  heads  downwards,  if  you  wish  to  keep  them. 

Game  will  not  keep  if  carried  long  in  the  pocket ; 
make  your  gillie  carry  them  suspended  by  their 
,  necks,  in  a  game-bag  of  net-work. 

A  hare  will  keep  longer,  and  be  of  much  nicer 
flavor,  if  paunched  on  the  day  it  is  shot ;  and  before 
being  hung  up  in  the  larder. 

If  game-birds  remain  a  few  hours  packed  in  a 
hamper  along  with  an  unpaunched  hare,  they  soon 
become  tainted. 

Never  press  the  trigger  unless  certain  that  your 
aim  is  true ;  and  never  vary  your  eye  from  the  bird 
you  first  fix  upon  as  the  object  of  your  aim. 

When  a  sportsman  misses  several  shots  in  suc- 
cession with  one  barrel,  without  being  able  to  assign 
any  reason  for  so  doing,  he  should  use  the  other 
exclusively  for  some  time. 

When  a  sportsman  is  fatigued  or  flurried,  the  arm 
and  hand,  and  consequently  the  nerves,  are  never 
steady. 

The  young  sportsman  must  always  shun  spirits ; 


A  FEW   STEAY   HINTS.  227 

the  old  one  sometimes  requires  a  stimulus  of  the 
kind  to  help  him  over  the  hedges,  and  to  lift  his  legs 
out  of  the  heavy  soil  fallows. 

In  shooting  with  a  young  sportsman,  or  a  stranger, 
always  allow  him  to  precede  you  in  getting  over  the 
fences :  it  may  be  that  you  save  your  life,  or  a  limb, 
by  the  precaution. 

Always  correct  and  point  out  errors  which  you 
observe  in  young  sportsmen;  and  rebuke  any  one, 
whether  old  or  young,  in  whom  you  detect  careless- 
ness in  handling  the  gun. 

If,  being  no  sportsman  yourself,  you  invite  one  or 
two  friends  to  shoot  over  your  manor,  do  not  offer  or 
propose  to  "  walk  with  them."  Sportsmen  always 
enjoy  the  sport  more  if  unaccompanied  by  the  non- 
sporting  friend  who  invites  them.  But  do  not  forget 
to  send  them  a  luncheon.  Very  hard  toil  sometimes 
belongs  to  shooting ;  and  sportsmen,  generally,  have 
keen  appetites. 

However  generously  disposed  you  may  be  towards 
your  friends  and  neighbors,  if  you  have  a  valuable 
dog,  never  lend  it :  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  a 
favorite  gun.  If  your  friend  or  neighbor  thinks  you 
unkind  in  refusing  to  lend  either,  show  him  this  page 
in  the  book  of  the  "  Dead  Shot." 


228  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 


PIGEOI^-SHOOTIN"G. 

Pigeon-shooting  is,  nnquestionably,  the  finest  prac- 
tice for  the  aspirant  to  excellence,  in  the  use  of  the 
gun  at  flying  objects,  of  any  that  is  used.  At  the 
same  time  it  is  a  sport  which  requires  considerable 
skill ;  and  there  is  none  in  which  so  much  depends 
on  the  perfect  coolness  and  steady  deliberation  of  the 
shooter.  In  no  branch  of  our  art  are  the  nerves  of 
the  shooter  so  severely  tried,  and  so  likely  to  be  dis- 
turbed, as  in  a  public  shooting-match :  though  a  great 
deal  of  the  trepidation  may  be  quelled  by  frequent 
practice. 

I  have  seen  many  persons  who  are  dead  shots  in 
the  field,  completely  eclipsed  by  very  inferior  sports- 
men at  a  pigeon-match;  and  this  entirely  because 
the  nerves  of  the  one  were  so  much  quieter  and  under 
better  control  than  the  other. 

The  practitioner  would  do  well,  before  shooting  in 
public,  to  practise  several  times  previously,  by  himself, 
far  away  from  the  gaze  and  observation  of  others. 

With  but  few  exceptions,  a  good  shot,  accustomed 


PIGEON-SHOOTING.  229 

to  game  in  its  wildest  nature,  is  generally  a  good 
pigeon-shooter.  But  it  is  not  so  often  the  case,  that 
a  town  pigeon-shot  is  equally  skilful  in  shooting  game ; 
though  in  a  majority  of  instances  that  have  come  un- 
der my  observation,  I  have  found  really  good  town 
pigeon-match-shooters  dead  shots  in  the  field,  at  game 
of  all  kinds. 

The  most  difficult  and  brilliant  part  of  the  practice, 
is  that  in  which  two  birds  are  released  at  the  same 
instant,  and  sometimes  from  the  same  trap;  double- 
barrelled  guns  being  used.  Such  is,  truly,  a  sj)lendid 
test  of  the  skill  and  dexterity  of  a  sportsman.  The 
usual  distance  at  which  the  shooter  stands  from  the 
traps,  in  double  shooting,  is  twenty-one  yards ;  and 
even  at  that  short  distance,  he  must  be  very  quick 
.  with  his  first  bird,  or  the  second  will  be  out  of  range 
before  he  can  bring  his  gun  to  bear  upon  it,  so  pow- 
erful and  rapid  is  the  flight  of  the  blue  rock. 

The  proceedings  at  a  shooting-match  should  always 
be  conducted  honorably  and  impartially :  five  traps 
are  generally  used ;  these  are  placed,  each  about  five 
yaids  apart,  in  a  semicircle  in  front  of  the  shooter,  at 
a  distance  from  the  measured  standing  place  or  "  foot- 
mark," varying  from  twenty  to  forty  yards,  according 
to  the  skill  of  the  shooter  or  the  terms  of  the  match. 


230  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

The  object  of  five  traps,  is  simply  to  deceive  the 
shooter  as  to  the  exact  spot  from  whence  the  bird 
will  rise  ;  and  with  that  view,  birds  are  placed  in  all 
five  traps,  before  the  sportsman  takes  his  stand  at  the 
foot-mark. 

Prizes  of  guns,  rifles,  gold  and  silver  cups,  and 
tankards  are  frequently  contended  for ;  and  some- 
times prizes  in  money,  sweepstakes,  and  handicaps, 
which  are  raised  by  the  competitors  subscribing  each 
£1  or  £5  as  may  be  agreed  on  ;  and  the  greater  the 
number  of  subscribers  the  higher  the  stakes  ;  which 
in  this  instance  are  generally  divided  into  one,  two,  or 
three  prizes.  The  best  shot  has  the  first  or  highest 
prize,  the  second  best  the  second  prize,  and  so  on. 

As  may  be  supposed,  ties  very  frequently  arise  in 
the  shooting ;  that  is  to  say,  two  or  more  of  the 
shooters  kill  an  equal  number  of  birds ;  in  which  case 
the  competitors  who  tie,  shoot  again ;  each,  bird  for 
bird,  until  one  or  other  of  the  party  misses,  and  then 
withdraws;  and  when  the  ties  are  reduced  to  two 
competitors  only,  the  two  continue  shooting  alter- 
nately until  one  misses  his  bird ;  the  one  who  shoots 
all  the  ties  without  missing,  then  ranks  first ;  the  one 
who  kept  it  up  second  bestj  ranks  second,  and  so  on, 
according  to  the  number  of  prizes. 


PIGEON-SHOOTING.  231 

Guns  of  rather  larger  calibre  than  those  used  for' 
partridge-shooting  are  generally  employed  in  pigeon- 
shooting  :  the  customary  gauge  of  a  pigeon  gun  is 
No.  12,  and  none  larger  than  JSTo.  10  should  be  per- 
mitted. 

There  is  no  restriction  as  to  powder,  but  the  usual 
charge  is,  from  2f  to  three  drachms ;  that  of  shot 
from  1  oz.  to  1^  oz. ;  and  the  size  of  the  shot  No.  5  or 
No.  6.  Nos.  7  and  8  are  sometimes  used,  but  these 
will  not  do  in  a  brisk  wind.  It  is  important  that  all 
competitors  should  use  the  same-sized  shot ;  and  there- 
fore it  is  usual  for  all  to  load  from  the  same  bowl, 
any  size  and  charge  of  shot  agreed  on. 

It  is  usual  at  pigeon-matches  to  stipulate  that  the 
shooter  be  allowed  to  use  a  larger  charge  of  shot  than 
the  maximum  quantity,  on  having  the  distance  at 
which  he  shoots  increased,  at  the  rate  of  one  yard  for 
every  one-eighth  of  an  ounce  of  extra  shot. 

The  blue-rock  pigeons  are  those  generally  used  at 
shooting  matches,  because  they  are  the  strongest 
fliers  and  hardest  diers ;  and  they  are,  besides,  the 
nearest  approach  to  wild  pigeons;  which  are  well 
known  as  such  extraordinary  birds  for  flying  off  un- 
harmed from  a  heavy  charge  of  shot. 

When  the  competitors  are  numerous,  six  birds  only 


232  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

are  allowed  to  each  person  :  but  where  they  are  few, 
it  is  usual  for  each  competitor  to  be  allowed  ten  or  a 
dozen  birds.  The  pigeons  should  all  be  of  the  same 
quality  and  color,  and  taken  without  choice,  no  per- 
son being  allowed  to  select  his  own  birds. 

At  21  yards  rise,  the  boundary  fence  should  be  80 
yards  from  the  traps.  Beyond  that  rise,  the  boundary 
should  be  100  yards. 

The  best  and  most  durable  traps  for  pigeon-shoot- 
ing are  made  of  iron ;  these,  on  being  pulled,  rattle 
most  and  frighten  the  bird  up.  The  iron  pigeon  trap 
is  usually  about  twelve  inches  square  (or  twelve 
inches  by  ten).  To  the  bottom,  or  floor  of  the  trap, 
are  attached  two  half  tubes,  placed  longitudinally,  so 
as  to  raise  it  about  three  inches  from  the  ground. 
There  is  also  a  small  hole  in  the  floor,  through  which 
an  iron  pin  is  driven,  in  order  to  hold  it  firmly  to  the 
ground.  The  four  sides  and  top  of  the  trap  are  all 
joined  together  by  easy  working  hinges ;  and  the  aft 
side  is  also  joined  by  hinges  to  the  floor  of  the  trap. 
The  front  side  has  two  or  three  loop-holes  to  admit 
liffht,  and  induce  the  bird  to  stand  with  its  tail  to- 
wards  the  shooter.  On  the  top  or  crown  of  the  trap 
is  a  circular  hole,  about  four  inches  in  diameter,  which 
closes  with  a  lid  and  clasp.     This  hole  is  merely  for 


PIGEON-SHOOTING.  233 

the  purpose  of  putting  the  bird  in,  after  the  trap  is 
fairly  fixed  and  ready.  The  cord  by  which  the  trap 
is  pulled,  is  fastened  to  an  iron  loop  on  the  top-front 
hinge ;  consequently,  the  top  and  four  sides  of  the 
trap  may  be  all  pulled  over  by  one  cord,  in  an  in- 
stant ;  and  on  falling  backwards,  they  open  and  lie 
flat  on  the  ground. 

The  iron  trap  described,  is  such  as  is  used  at  the 
Hornsey  Wood  House  shooting  grounds,  the  Red 
House,  Battersea,  and  other  distinguished  match- 
shooting  localities. 

Wooden  traps  are  seldom  used  now  at  public 
shooting  grounds,  except  for  sparrow  and  starling- 
shooting. 

The  term  "  H  and  T"  traps,  refers  merely  to  toss- 
ing (head  or  tail)  for  choice  of  two  traps,  which  are 
placed  one  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left  of 
the  shooter.  And  this  is  a  very  customary  proceed- 
ing in  pigeon-shooting,  particularly  when  two  traps 
only  are  used ;  it  insures  fairness,  and  is  a  check  upon 
the  trapper,  who  may  have  put  a  strong  bird  in  one 
trap  und  a  weak  one  in  the  other. 

More  than  a  little  skill  and  dexterity  are  required 
in  pulling  the  trap:  and  for  that  reason  none  but 
those  experienced  in  the  art  are  chosen  to  perform  so 


234  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

important  a  duty.  There  is  plenty  of  room  for  fraud 
and  collusion  in  pulling  the  trap,  consequently  a  trust- 
worthy person  should  be  appointed  puller.  For  in- 
stance, he  might  pull  the  trap  so  gently  for  one  com- 
petitor as  to  raise  it  only  a  few  inches,  and  thereby 
permit  the  bird  to  glide  off  several  yards  before  the 
shooter  sees  it.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  in  case  he 
wanted  to  favor  any  particular  shooter,  he  would  pull 
the  trap  suddenly  and  sharply  (which  is  the  fair  way), 
and  then  the  bird  flies  up  perpendicularly,  directly  in 
front  of  the  shooter,  and  so  offers  a  fair  chance. 

When  the  match  is  between  two  persons  only,  it  is 
sometimes  stipulated  that  each  shall  act  as  puller  to  the 
other.  The  usual  plan  is,  for  each  to  find  a  trap  and 
trapper  for  the  other,  and  such  is  considered  the  fairest 
proceeding  ;  for  there  is  also  room  for  fraud  and  collu- 
sion with  the  trapper,  as  to  supplying  strong  birds  to 
one  person  and  weak  ones  to  another  ;  and  as  to  pulling 
feathers  out  of  their  wings,  and  so  impeding  their 
flight. 

Sometimes,  but  not  usually,  it  is  stipulated  that  each 
shooter  shall  gather  his  own  birds.  Much  •  time, 
however,  is  saved  by  appointing  a  gatherer  for  all 
parties. 

Handicapping,  according  to  skill  and  past  perform- 


PIGEON-SHOOTING.  235 

ances  in  pigeon-shooting,  is  a  difficult  and  delicate 
task  ;  it  should  always  be  performed  with  discretion, 
and  the  handicapper  appointed  unanimously. 
■  The  term  "  fair  bird,"  in  pigeon-shooting,  implies  a 
bird  which  rises  fairly,  and  may  be  shot  at  Avhilst  on 
the  wing. 

"  Dead  bird,"  implies  a  bird  fairly  risen,  shot,  and 
gathered  within  range. 

"  Lost  bird,"  is  that  w^hich  is  shot  at  and  missed ; 
also  any  bird  which,  after  being  wounded,  falls  with- 
out the  boundary. 

"  Xo  bird,"  when  through  some  mistake  or  acci- 
dent, the  bird  was  not  risen  according  to  the  rules  ; 
or  when  the  shooter  had  no  fair  chance,  and,  conse- 
quently, is  entitled  to  another  in  its  stead. 

The  young  pigeon-shot  will  do  well  to  consider  at- 
tentively the  lessons  on  the  art  of  shooting  which 
have  been  given  in  preceding  pages,  and  which  apply 
with  equal  force  to  shooting  pigeons  as  to  shooting 
game ;  bearing  in  mind  that  it  is  necessary  to  aim 
well  in  advance  of  a  fast  bird,  going  right  or  left ; 
and  over  its  back,  on  going  straight  away. 

Professional  pigeon-shooters  acquire  a  habit  of  kill- 
ing their  birds  the  moment  they  are  out  of  the  trap ; 
and  some  of  these  men  often  kill  nineteen  birds  out 


236  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

of  twenty,  with  splendid  precision,  at  twenty-five 
yards'  rise.  The  knack  of  killing  them  in  this  man- 
ner consists  in  taking  them  the  instant  they  rise,  and 
being  cautious  not  to  fire  too  low  ;  remembering  that 
they  are  rising,  not  flying  forward. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  caution  the  inexperi- 
enced against  being  drawn  into  a  match  with  "  pro- 
fessional pigeon-shooters,"  some  of  whom,  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  are  mere  "  professional  cheats." 

They  generally  stipulate  that  each  person  shall  find 
his  own  trap  ;  and  among  their  contrivances  for  un- 
fair advantage,  is  that  of  using  a  "  spring  trap," 
which  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  "cheating 
trap."  In  appearance  it  resembles  an  ordinary  pigeon 
trap,  but  it  contains  an  ingeniously  contrived  scoring, 
which,  on  the  trap  being  pulled,  causes  the  bird  to  fly 
in  a  particular  direction,  such  as  the  "  professional"  is 
most  practised  in  shooting ;  and  so  he  seldom  fails  to 
kill  his  bird. 

And  they  sometimes  induce  country  sportsmen  to 
shoot  a  pigeon-match  with  them,  without  any  stipula- 
tion as  to  guns  or  shot ;  and  then,  perhaps,  on  coming 
to  the  ground,  where  the  sportsman  expects  to  meet 
his  opponents  on  equal  terms,  and  he  is  provided 
with  a  gun  of  No.  1 2  calibre,  they  have  guns  of  !N'0v 


PlGEON-SHOOTtNG.  237 

6  gauge !  from  which  they  fire  four  or  five  drachms 
of  powder,  and  two  ounces  or  more  of  shot  I 

Another  of  their  well-known  but  more  recent  con- 
trivances is,  that  of  using  loaded  waddings  ;  these,  to 
all  appearances,  are  mere  thick  paper  waddings  ;  but 
on  opening  them,  they  will  be  found  each  to  contain 
nearly  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  shot. 

There  are  many  other  equally  disgraceful  tricks 
which  are  sometimes  resorted  to  by  "  professionals  ;" 
and  I  need  scarcely  say,  that  such  are  the  practices 
which  bring  pigeon-shooting  into  disrepute. 

For  these  reasons  gentlemen-sportsmen  generally 
refuse  to  shoot  with  strangers,  lest  they  should  be 
"  professional  tricksters.'' 

Strange  to  say,  until  the  publication  of  the  first 
edition  of  this  work,  there  were  no  other  printed  or 
authorized  rules  in  regard  to  pigeon-shooting,  than 
those  of  the  old  Battersea  school ;  and  though  some 
of  those  are  useful,  they  are  quite  inadequate  to  the 
requirements  of  the  present  day*  In  the  event  of  any 
difiiculty  or  dispute  arising  at  a  shooting-match,  it 
has  been  usual  to  refer  the  matter  to  the  editors  of 
"  Bell's  Life  in  London,"  whose  decisions  thereon 
have  generally  been  sound  and  good. 

Now,  as  many  thousands  of  pigeon-shooting  match- 


238  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

es  take  place  every  year  in  the  country,  and  the  ah* 
sence  and  want  of  an  authorized  code  of  laws  by 
which  to  regulate  the  shooting,  and  conduct  these 
matches  satisfactorily,  has  frequently  been  felt,  and 
to  my  own  knowledge  has  too  often  been  the  cause 
of  painful  disputes,  I  carefully  prepared  a  concise  list 
of  rules,  which  were  submitted  to  and  approved  by 
some  of  the  most  experienced  pigeon-shots  in  London, 
and  which  I  trust  have  been  found  to  meet  the  wants 
which  were  so  long  felt  in  the  conduct  of  shooting- 
matches. 

MARKSMAN'S   RXJLES. 

1.  Before  subscribers'  names  are  entered  and 
stakes  received,  the  following  preliminaries  should 
be  arranged,  viz. :  the  number  of  birds  to  be  allowed 
to  each  person ;  the  number  of  traps  to  be  employed  ; 
the  distance  at  which  the  birds  are  to  be  risen ;  the 
boundary  within  which  they  must  fall ;  the  size  of 
shot,  and  weight  or  measure  of  a  charge ;  all  which 
should  be  put  down  in  writing,  and  signed  by  the 
subscribers. 

2.  Before  the  match  commences,  a  scorer,  a  trap- 
per, a  puller,  two  umpires,  and  a  referee  must  be 
chosen ;  also  one  or  more  gatherers ;  and  if  a  gatherer 


marksman's  rules.  239 

is  to  be  allowed  the  assistance  of  a  dog,  it  should  be 
so  stipulated.  The  referee  must  be  mutually  chosen, 
and  the  umpires,  one  by  each  party ;  each  party  may 
also  appoint  a  puller,  or  they  may  both  agree  to  the 
same  puller. 

3.  All  disputes  to  be  settled  by  the  umpires,  and 
in  case  they  cannot  agree,  the  decision  of  the  referee 
to  be  final. 

4.  No  gun  to  be  used  exceeding  in  calibre  the 
gauge  No.  10.  The  maximum  charges  of  shot  to  be 
li  oz.,  11  oz.,  or  11  oz.,  as  the  case  may  he;  all 
charges  of  shot  to  be  measured  or  weighed,  and  guns 
loaded,  in  presence  of  the  umpires  and  referee.  In 
single-bird  shooting,  when  both  barrels  are  allowed 
to  each  bird,  the  size  of  the  gun  should  not  exceed 
Xo.  12  gauge,  and  the  charge  of  shot  must  be  limited 
to  11  oz. 

5.  Each  competitor  must  hold  himself  in  readiness, 
and  come  to  the  foot-mark  on  his  name  being  called 
by  the  scorer;  it  being  at  the  discretion  of  the 
umpires  and  referee  as  to  whether  an  absentee  may 
be  permitted  to  shoot  after  the  lapse  of  ten  minutes 
from  the  time  he  is  called  to  the  foot-mark. 

6.  Any  competitor  may  challenge  another,  as  to 
any  suspected  unfairness  in  loading ;  and  the  person 


240  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

challenged  must  draw  his  charge  of  shot,  oi*  permit  it 
to  be  drawn,  in  presence  of  the  umpires ;  when,  if  it 
is  found  to  exceed  the  maximum  allowance,  the 
person  challenged  is  to  pay  a  fine  of  £1  to  the 
sweepstakes  or  prize  fund,  and  be  disquaUfied  for 
shooting  in  the  match  or  sharing  in  the  result.  But 
if  the  charge  of  shot  be  found  not  to  exceed  the  fair 
maximum  allowance,  then  the  challenger  to  pay  a 
forfeit  of  2s.  6d.  to  the  party  challenged. 

7.  Any  person  challenged  to  pay  a  fine  of  10s.  to 
the  prize  fund  or  stakes,  if  he  fires  his  gun  off  be- 
fore the  charge  has  been  drawn  and  weighed,  or 
measured,  as  the  case  may  be. 

8.  The  use  of  one  barrel  only  [or  both,  as  the  case 
may  be]  to  be  allowed  to  each  bird.  If  the  match  is 
for  double  shots,  ^.  e.,  at  two  birds  to  be  risen  at  the 
same  time ;  if  the  shooter  miss  with  his  first  barrel, 
he  is  at  liberty  to  shoot  with  his  second  barrel  at  the 
same  bird. 

9.  The  shooter,  when  ready,  to  say  "  pull !"  and 
the  puller  to  receive  and  obey  such  as  the  signal 
to  pull  the  trap  fairly  over,  and  release  the  bird 
instanter. 

10.  After  the  shooter  has  taken  his  stand  at  the 
foot-mark,  he  is  not  to  level  his  gun,  or  raise  the  but- 


241 

end  above  his  elbow,  until  the  bird  is  on  the  wing. 
On  any  competitor  infringing  this  rule,  the  bird  will 
be  scored  against  him  as  a  "  lost  bird,"  whether  he 
kills  it  or  not. 

11.  If  the  trap  be  pulled,  or  the  bird  released 
before,  or  not  at  the  time  of  the  signal,  the  shooter 
to  have  the  option  of  calling  "no  bird!"  and  refusing 
to  shoot :  but  if  he  shoots,  the  bird  will  be  deemed  a 
"  fair  one,"  and  scored  for  or  against  him  as  the  re- 
sult may  be. 

12.  If  the  bird  does  not  rise  immediately  after  the 
trap  is  pulled,  the  shooter  to  have  the  option  of 
calling  "  no  bird !"  but  if  he  shoots  on  its  afterwards 
rising,  it  will  be  considered  a  "  fair  bird."  If  he  ad- 
vances beyond  the  foot-mark,  shoots  at  the  bird  on 
the  trap,  or  on  the  ground,  before  it  rises,  it  will  be 
scored  against  him  as  a  "  lost  bird ;"  and  this  whether 
he  kills  it  or  not. 

13.  A  bird  must  be  shot  whilst  on  the  wing,  in 
order  to  score  as  a  "  fair  bird"  (with  this  exception 
only)^ — that  when  both  barrels  are  allowed  to  each 
bird,  and  the  shooter  having  wounded  a  bird  Avith  his 
first  barrel,  the  second  may  be  fired  at  the  bird  on 
the  ground,  if  the  shooter  fears  it  may  rise  again  or  es- 
cape beyond  the  boundary  before  it  can  be  gathered. 

11 


242  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

14.  If  after  giving  the  signal  "pull!"  the  gun 
should  be  found  uncapped,  without  a  tube,  or  im- 
properly loaded ;  or  if  the  shooter,  through  negli- 
gence, is  unable  to  fire,  and  the  bird  flies  away,  it  will 
be  scored  against  him  as  a  '''lost  bird." 

15.  But  in  case  of  a  mis-fire,  through  the  cap  ar 
tube  not  exploding,  or  failing  to  ignite  the  charge,  or 
other  accidental  circumstance  not  attributable  to  the 
shooter's  negligence,  he  may  call  "no  bird!"  and 
claim  another. 

16.  In  single-bird  matches,  if  two  or  more  birds  be 
liberated  at  the  same  time  (whether  accidentally  or 
otherwise),  the  shooter  to  have  the  option  of  calling 
"no  bird!"  and  refusing  to  shoot  at  either;  but  if 
he  shoots,  the  bird  will  be  scored  for  or  against  hira, 
as  the  result  may  be. 

17.  And  in  double-bird  matches,  if  more  than  two 
birds  be  liberated  at  the  same  time,  the  shooter  may 
kill  as  many  as  he  can ;  and  all  he  kills  within  the 
boundary  shall  be  scored  in  his  favor ;  or  he  may 
refuse  to  fire  at  either,  and  claim  two  or  more ;  but 
if  he  shoots  at  one  or  more,  it  will  be  scored  as  a 
"  fair  double  shot,"  for  or  against  him,  as  the  case 
may  be. 

18.  Whether  a  "fair  bird,"  "dead   bird,"   "lost 


maeksman's  rules.  243 

bird,"  or  "no  bird,"  must  be  decided  in  every  case, 
during  the  match,  by  the  umpires ;  and  in  case  of 
dispute,  the  decision  of  the  referee  to  be  final. 

19.  Every  bird  must  be  gathered  within  the  boun- 
dary, in  order  to  score  as  "  a  dead  bird." 

20.  Any  bird  which,  after  being  shot  at,  perches  or 
settles  on  the  top  of  the  boundary  fence,  is  to  be 
deemed  a  "  lost  bird  ;"  and  if,  after  perching  or  set- 
tling on  the  boundary  fence,  it  falls  or  returns  back 
within  the  boundary,  it  is  nevertheless  to  be  con- 
sidered a  "  lost  bird ;"  because  it  has  been  out  of  the 
boundary  by  alighting  upon  it.  So  also  if  it  perches 
or  settles  on  a  tree  or  building  within  the  boundary, 
whether  it  afterwards  falls  or  not,  it  is  a  "  lost  bird;" 
because  the  probability  is,  that  but  for  the  tree  or 
building,  the   bird  would  have  had  strength  left  to 

have  flown  out  of  bounds. 

21.  If  a  bird,  after  being  fairly  shot  at,  strikes 
against  the  fence,  and  then  falls  within  the  boun- 
ary  and  is  gathered,  it  will  be  scored  in  favor  of 
the  shooter  as  a  ''  dead  bird." 

22.  If  a  bird  be  shot  at  and  hit  so  hard  by  the 
shooter,  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  umpires  it  would 
have  fallen  within  bounds,  but  before  falling  was 
shot  by  a  scout   or   some   other  person,  it  wUI  be 


244  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

deemed  "no  bird,"  and  the  shooter  may  claim 
another.  But  if  in  the  opinion  of  the  umpires  the 
bird  was  missed,  or  only  slightly  wounded  by  the 
shooter,  and  afterwards  killed  by  the  scout  within 
bounds,  it  is  in  that  case  to  be  scored  against  the 
shooter  as  a  "  lost  bird." 

23.  When  H  and  T  traps  are  employed,  a  bird 
must  always  be  put  in  each  trap  before  the  toss. 

24.  When  a  competitor  allows  his  opponent  any 
extra  number  of  birds,  the  opponent  so  favored, 
to  have  the  option  of  shooting  them  at  the  begin- 
ning or  close  of  the  contest. 

25.  Any  competitor  wilfully  interrupting  another 
whilst  at  the  foot-mark,  to  pay  a  fine  of  £1  to  the 
Stakes  or  prize  fund,  and  be  disqualified  for  shoot- 
ing and  sharing  in  the  results  of  the  match;  and 
the  shooter  so  interrupted  to  have  the  option  of 
calling  "  no  bird !"  and  claiming  another,  whether 
he  shoots  during  the  interruption  or  not. 

26.  Any  competitor  using  loaded  waddings,  or 
by  any  other  device  putting  more  shot  or  lead  into 
the  gun  than  the  stipulated  quantum,  to  pay  a  fine 
of  £1  to  the  stakes  or  prize  fund,  and  be  disquali- 
fied for  shooting  oV  sharing  in  the  results  of  the 
match. 


MAEKSMAN  S   ETJLES.  245 

27.  In  a  shooting-match,  all  ties  to  be  shot  off  on 
the  same  ground,  immediately  after  the  match,  if 
they  can  be  concluded  before  sunset ;  but  any  com- 
petitor may  refuse  to  shoot  after  sunset ;  and  in  case 
of  such  refusal,  the  tie- shooting  to  be  completed  on 
the  next  day,  or  on  some  other  day  appointed  by  the 
umpires  and  referee. 

28.  The  ties  in  sweepstakes  or  prize  shooting  may 
agree  to  share  or  divide  the  stakes  or  prize :  but  if 
one  or  more  of  the  ties  refuse  to  share,  it  must  be 
shot  off. 

29.  Any  one  of  the  ties  being  absent,  or  not  com- 
ing to  the  foot-mark  to  shoot  off  his  tie  within  ten 
minutes  after  his  name  is  called,  on  the  same  or  an 
appointed  day,  to  forfeit  all  claim  to  the  sweepstakes 
or  prize. 

30.  Any  competitor  or  other  person  bribing  or 
attempting  to  bribe  the  trapper  or  puller,  or  obtain- 
ing or  attempting  to  obtain  an  unfair  advantage  in 
any  way  whatever,  or  wilfully  infringing  any  or 
either  of  these  rules,  to  pay  a  fine  of  £1  to  the 
stakes  or  prize  fund,  and  be  disqualified  for  shoot- 
ing or  sharing  in  the  results  of  the  match. 


246  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 


STARLING  AND  SPARROW-SHOOTING. 

For  starling  and  sparrow-shooting-matclies  the 
same  rules  apply.  But  the  rise  for  these  should 
not  exceed  twenty  or  twenty-one  yards  :  as  spar- 
rows and  small  birds  cannot  be  killed  with  certain- 
ty beyond  the  range  of  thirty-five  yards.  The 
boundary  for  small  birds  need  not  be  more  than 
sixty  yards. 

The  size  of  shot  for  starling  should  be  No.  8  ;  for 
sparrows  N'o.  10. 

Before  shooting  a  match  at  sparrows,  the  young 
sportsman  will  do  well  to  test  his  gun  at  a  mark, 
as  to  the  closeness  of  throwing  the  shot. 


DOG-BREAKING. 


24Y 


DOG-BEEAKI]:^G. 


No  good  sport  is  to  be  had,  or  at  least  thorough- 
ly enjoyed,  with  out  a  good  dog. 

The  best  sport  with  the  gun,  and  the  highest  en- 
joyment of  it,  is  with  the  best  dogs. 

Bad  sport  may  often  be  made  good  with  the  as- 
sistance of  well-bred  and  well-broken  dogs. 

It  is  as  easy  for  a  sportsman  to  select  a  good  dog 
as  it  is  for  a  fox-hunter  to  select  a  good  horse ;  and 
the  good  qualities  are  as  essential  and  valuable  in 
the  one  as  in  the  other. 

Remember  that  a  well-bred,  well-broke,  and  clever 
dog  costs  no  more,  either  for  keep  or  tax,  than  an 
ill-bred  or  ill-broken  mongrel 

Dog-breaking,  to  be  entirely  successful,  must  be 
conducted  on  rational  principles.  Much  experience 
in  the  art  is  not  necessary  ;  but  an  acquaintance  with 
the  true  nature  and  disposition  of  dogs  in  general 
will  be  of  great  service. 

Neither  is  it  by  any  means  necessary  that  the 
breaker  should  be  a  good  shot.     But  it  is  indispensa- 


248  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

ble  that  he  should  be  good-natured,  patient,  and  en- 
tirely free  from  irascibility. 

The  dog-breaker  who  uses  most  kindness,  and  is 
most  sparing  a^id  mild  in  the  nature  of  his  chastise- 
ment towards  the  dog,  always  succeeds  best.  The 
violent,  severe,  and  impatient  bully  never  succeeds  in 
turning  out  a  perfectly  trained  dog.  The  utmost  he 
attains  is  to  make  the  dog  stand  in  terror  of  him ;  so 
that  for  fear  of  having  some  of  its  bones  broken,  or 
being  beaten  to  death,  it  runs  away  on  the  least  inti- 
mation of  having  done  wrong ;  and  probably  puts  up 
covey  after  covey  as  it  races  across  the  field.  It  is  a 
true  test,  on  a  dog  running  away  in  this  manner,  that 
it  has  been  badly  trained  and  cruelly  beaten.  Ko  dog 
which  has  been  properly  trained  and  mildly  and  ju- 
diciously chastised  would  do  so. 

It  is  wanton  cruelty  and  ignorant  folly  to  chastise 
a  dog  at  any  time,  unless  it  knows  why  it  is  punished. 
It  is  a  well-timed  chastisement,  not  the  severity  of  it, 
which  ensures  obedience. 

Faults  may  be  reproved  without  being  punished. 

Excessive  flogging  makes  the  dog  hunt  in  fear,  and 
with  a  broken  spirit ;  whereas  the  bold  and  dauntless- 
spirited  dog  is  the  sportsman's  pride  and  delight ;  and 
the  courageous  dog  is  of  all  others  the  one  to  hunt 


DOG-BREAKING. 


249 


with  most  success  and  least  fatigue.  Unless  a  dog 
hunts  cheerfully  and  willingly,  entering  with  all  its 
heart  into  the  spirit  of  the  sport,  its  services  are  not 
of  much  use. 

It  is  true  that  some  dogs  require  rather  more  chas- 
tisement than  others;  whilst  some  may  be  broken 
without  a  lash. 

All  dogs  should  be  trained  as  much  as  possible  by 
dumb  signals ;  and  this  system  of  training  is  specially 
applicable  to  the  instruction  of  pointers  and  setters. 

A  talkative  trainer  spoils  the  dog,  though  it  be  ever 
so  well  bred ;  because  it  becomes  so  accustomed  to 
the  voice  of  its  trainer  that  it  will  obey  none  other 
than  verbal  signals.  The  more  care  and  trouble  the 
trainer  takes  in  teaching  the  dog  by  silent  signals,  the 
more  valuable  and  useful  will  it  be  when  in  pursuit 
of  sport. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  birds  will  lie  if 
they  hear  your  voice.  Therefore,  once  more  I  repeat, 
"Don't  talk  to  your  dogs  when  in  expectation  of 
finding  game." 

A  dog,  in  its  very  nature,  will  soon  discover  from 

its  dumb  trainer  that,  to  approach  game,  silence  must 

be  observed.    Retrievers  which  have  been  accustomed 

to  attend  sportsmen  who  go  wild-fowl-shooting,  are 

11* 


250  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

particularly  sagacious  as  to  their  duty,  and  that  of 
their  master,  being  to  observe  the  strictest  silence: 
and  when  stalking  wild-fowl,  a  clever  dog  will  crawl 
along  with  belly  touching  the  ground,  on  a  signal  to 
do  so  by  its  master,  who  probably  has  to  do  likewise. 


POINTERS  AND  SETTERS. 

There  is  no  better  age  at  which  to  commence  the 
training  of  a  dog  than  at  seven  months  old ;  and  all 
the  initiatory  lessons  had  best  be  given  in  a  yard,  on 
the  premises  where  the  dog  has  been  brought  up. 
The  trainer  will  find  it  of  immense  advantaoje  to  de- 
vote  about  twenty  minutes  daily,  for  three  or  four 
weeks,  to  the  preliminary  lessons,  before  taking  the 
dog  out  in  the  fields  in  search  of  game. 

These  should  be  given  when  the  trainer  is  alone 
with  the  dog :  there  must  be  nothing  to  divert  its 
attention  from  the  trainer. 

Begin  by  practising  the  dog,  when  hungry,  to  seek 
about  the  yard  for  pieces  of  food,  which  you  have  un- 
observedly  placed  in  concealment :  accompany  the  dog 
in  its  searches,  encouraging  it  to  hunt  for  the  food  by 
the  motion  of  your  hand ;  and  induce  the  dog  to  fancy 
you  are  looking  for  something.     Always  show  pleas' 


DOG-BREAKIXG.  251 

nre  and  satisfaction  when  the  dog  finds  the  food.  Do 
not  allow  it  to  eat  the  food  immediately ;  take  it  in 
your  hand,  look  at  it,  show  it  to  the  dog,  let  him 
smell  it  two  or  three  times,  and  then  give  it  him  to  eat. 
Place  a  piece  sometimes  on  a  chair  or  stool,  so  as  to 
induce  the  dog  to  hold  up  his  head.  The  higher 
pointers  and  setters  carry  their  noses  the  better,  be- 
cause they  find  their  game  quicker ;  and  the  birds  lie 
better  to  such  dogs  than  to  those  which  carry  their 
noses  close  to  the  ground.  Never  deceive  the  dog 
by  encouraging  it  to  hunt  for  a  bit  of  food,  unless 
there  really  is  a  piece  secreted ;  and  never  allow  the 
dog  to  give  uj)  until  it  has  found  it.  This  will  go  far 
in  giving  the  animal  early  confidence  in  you,  as  pos- 
sessing a  superior  knowledge  as  to  whether  there  is 
game  to  be  found  or  not,  when  in  the  fields. 

Having  taught  the  puppy  to  seek  for  and  find  the 
hidden  pieces  of  food,  the  use  of  the  check  cord  must 
then  be  resorted  to,  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  it  to 
stand  firm,  and  stop  instantly  to  the  signal  "  to-ho  !'* 
This  important  lesson  is  taught  in  the  following  man- 
ner : — having  buckled  a  soft  leathern  collar  round  the 
puppy's  neck,  attach  thereto  a  cord  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  yards  in  length,  the  end  of  which  you  hold 
firmly  in  your  hand  :  then  encourage  the  dog,  as  be- 


252  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

fore,  to  hunt  for  a  piece  of  food  ;  and  just  ^s  its  nose 
is  being  tickled  with  the  savor  of  the  tidbit,  call  out 
"  to-ho !"  at  the  same  instant  pulling  the  cord  sharply, 
so  as  to  bring  the  dog  to  a  stand- still ;  at  which  you 
must  keep  him  whilst  you  walk  slowly  up  to  him ; 
after  which  allow  him  to  advance  and  eat  the  bit  he 
has  found.  In  a  short  time  it  will  be  unnecessary  to 
use  the  cord,  and  by  simply  saying  "  to-ho  !"  the  dog 
may  be  instantly  brought  to  a  stand-still. 

Never  throw  pieces  of  food  to  sporting  puppies  of 
any  kind ;  always  give  it  them  with  the  hand,  and 
make  them  take  it  gently. 

Teaching  a  dog  to  drop  to  the  hand,  is  another  of 
the  first  and  most  important  lessons  in  the  instruction 
of  pointers  and  setters.  By  "  dropping  to  the  hfJhd" 
is  meant  to  "down  charge  !"  or  crouch  to  the  signal 
of  holding  up  the  hand  high  above  the  head.  This 
may  be  taught  thoroughly  in  the  yard,  before  ever 
taking  the  dog  out  in  the  fields.  The  most  simple 
manner  of  teaching  it  is  by  holding  up  a  whip,  and 
calling  out  "  down  charge  !"  Then  insist  on  the  dog 
lying  still  whilst  you  walk  away  to  another  part  of 
the  yard :  if  he  attempts  to  move,  tie  him  to  a  stake, 
repeating  your  orders  to  "  down  charge."  After  a 
very  few  lessons,  the  stake  and  whip  may  be  dis- 


DOG-BREAKING.  253 

pensed  with;  and  the  dog,  by  further  practice,  will 
crouch  to  the  signal  of  holding  up  the  hand,  and  re- 
main so  until  encouraged  to  '^  hold  up !"  The  use  of 
the  gun,  first  with  gun-caps  only,  and  afterwards  with 
a  very  small  charge  of  powder,  will  be  of  advantage 
in  this  lesson  ;  taking  the  greatest  care  not  to  frighten 
the  dog  with  a  loud  report,  or  by  using  the  gun  ofien- 
sively. 

Teach  the  dog  also  to  obey  your  whistle :  a  single 
note  meaning  "  attention ;"  and  a  continued  whistle 
that  he  is  to  come  to  you.  The  single  note  should  be 
given  when  the  dog's  attention  is  occupied  in  hunting 
for  the  secreted  bits  of  food ;  and  on  the  instant  of 
the  dog  looking  towards  you  in  obedience  to  the  whis- 
tle, direct  him  further  by  some  dumb  signal,  either  to 
hunt  to  the  right  or  left,  or  to  "  down  charge." 

Xever  use  sentences  in  speaking  to  a  dog ;  one  word 
only  is  best ;  more  than  two  should  never  be  used. 

Use  neither  spikes  nor  spiked  collars  in  dog-break- 
ing ;  they  are  brutal  instruments ;  which,  as  Colonel 
Hutchinson  very  justly  remarks,  "  none  but  the  most 
ignorant  or  unthinking  would  employ." 

Having  carefully  inculcated  the  initiatory  lessons 
alluded  to,  the  trainer  may  then  take  the  dog  out  in 
the  fields  ;  being,  as  before,  quite  alone  with  it.     He 


254  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

will  now  require  a  longer  check-cord  than  that  used 
in  the  yard  :  if  forty  yards  in  length  so  much  the  bet- 
ter ;  and  the  lightest,  most  useful,  and  durable  cord 
for  the  purpose  is  that  which  sailors  call  "  ratline." 

The  check-cord  cannot  be  dispensed  with  in  dog- 
breaking;  it  is  the  best  and  only  assistant  the 
trainer  requires. 

The  dog  should^now  be  taken  to  a  spot  where  you 
know  there  is  a  covey  of  partridges ;  and  there  en- 
couraged to  hunt.  If  a  well-bred  dog,  it  will  find 
and  point  them ;  and  if  so,  walk  up  to  the  dog  and 
pat  him,  saying  "to-ho  !"  then  encourage  him  to  ad- 
vance steadily;  and  on  the  birds  rising,  instantly 
check  him  with  the  cord,  if  he  attempts  to  run  in, 
by  pulling  him  back  on  his  haunches ;  but  do  not 
use  the  whip  for  the  first  or  second  attempt ;  nor  un- 
til you  find  he  cannot  be  broken  of  attempting  to  run 
in  without  using  it.  After  you  have  succeeded  in 
this  important  lesson,  pat  and  reward  him  with  a  bit 
of  food  every  time  he  does  it  perfectly. 

Remember,  also,  that  it  is  a  golden  rule  in  the  in- 
struction of  a  dog,  to  drag  him  back  to  the  spot 
where  he  ought  to  have  remained ;  whether  for  the 
purpose  of  pointing  the  game,  or  in  obedience  to  the 
signal  to  "  down  charge." 


DOG-BREAKING.  255 

Having  carried  the  course  of  training  thus  far,  you 
may  now  allow  an  assistant  to  accompany  you ;  giv- 
ing him  the  check-cord,  whilst  you  use  the  gun  and 
kill  a  few  partridges :  and  in  all  probability  the  dog 
will  ever  after  take  the  greatest  delight  in  hunting  for 
game.  Be  strict  and  prompt  in  checking  any  over- 
eagerness  or  unsteadiness ;  and  take  plenty  of  time 
in  reloading  after  having  killed  a  bird ;  and  then  al- 
low the  dog  to  find  it  and  mouth  it  tenderly. 

The  only  troublesome  thing  to  teach  in  a  pointer 
or  setter  is,  quartering  the  ground :  this  requires  per- 
severance and  much  practice.  It  should,  strictly 
speaking,  be  done  before  the  dog  is  ever  taken  into 
turnips. 

The  trainer  must  teach  the  dog  to  cross  and  re- 
cross  the  fields  to  the  simple  signal  of  waving  the 
hand  to  right  or  left ;  and  to  do  this  efiectually,  at  first 
he  Avill  have  to  walk  with  the  dog,  up  wind,  crossing 
and  recrossing  just  as  is  required  ;  but  in  time  he  will 
find  it  less  and  less  necessary  to  do  these  walkings ; 
whenever  the  dog  skips  over  any  portion  of  the 
ground  without  hunting,  endeavor  to  make  him,  by 
signals,  go  and  hunt  it ;  and  if  he  refuses  or  does  not 
understand  you,  go  yourself,  good-naturedly,  calling 
and  encouraging  the  dog  to  rehunt  the  field. 


256  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

A  well  distributed  and  judicious  range,  is  a  great 
accomplishment  in  a  good  dog,  but  difficult  to  teach. 

Use  the  word  "  ware !"  when  the  dog  is  hunting 
wrong,  or  attempting  to  precede  you  in  getting  over 
a  fence  or  gate  on  entering  another  field. 

On  no  account  must  the  dog  be  allowed  to  move 
whilst  you  are  reloading.  Though  a  bird  falls  on  open, 
barren  ground,  in  the  very  sight  of  the  dog,  and 
whether  killed  or  wounded,  do  not  allow  the  pointer 
to  go  or  stir  after  it,  until  you  have  reloaded,  and 
given  the  word  of  encouragement.  If  he  attempts,  call 
him  back  and  drag  him  to  the  place  where  he  ought  to 
have  remained ;  then  go  yourself  to  the  spot  at  which 
you  stood  when  you  shot  the  bird,  and  make  him  wait 
at  his  place  whilst  you  reload.  It  is  better  to  lose  a 
wounded  bird  now  and  then  than  to  allow  your  dog 
to  acquire  the  very  bad  habit  of  running  in ;  which 
he  assuredly  will  do  unless  you  firmly  resist  every 
attempt  that  he  makes. 

A  dog  having  once  acquired  the  habit  of  running 
in,  it  is  difficult  to  break  him  of  it ;  though  in  gen- 
eral it  arises  through  his  having  been  shot  over  by  a 
bad  shot  or  inexperienced  sportsman,  who,  the  mo- 
ment he  shoots  a  bird,  rushes  forward  himself,  before 
reloading,  to  secure  it :  I  need  scarcely  say  that  such 


DOG-BEEAKING.  257 

a  proceeding  has  been  the  ruin  of  many  a  splendid 
young  dog. 

Many  young  sportsmen,  on  wounding  a  hare,  are 
apt,  in  their  eagerness  to  Capture  it,  to  encourage  a 
pointer  or  retriever  to  chase  it.  Such  an  encourage- 
ment is  also  ruinous  to  the  dog :  because,  after  once 
being  incited  to  chase,  the  dog  will  do  so  every  time 
you  miss.  Such  is  the  nature  and  instinct  of  the  dog 
for  chasing,  that  the  steadiest  and  most  perfectly  train- 
ed dog  may  be  ruined  by  one  indiscretion  of  the  kind. 

Pointers,  setters,  and  retrievers  should  never  be 
allowed  either  to  chase,  run  in,  or  lacerate  the  game. 
A  retriever  may  be  allowed  to  "  road"  a  wounded 
running  bird  ;  but  the  trainer  must  be  very  cautious 
never  to  allow  the  dogs  to  chase  either  hare  or  rabbit. 

All  dogs  have  a  natural  propensity  to  run  after 
hares  and  rabbits  ;  which  must  be  instantly  restrained 
in  such  dogs  as  are  trained  to  the  gun. 

Never  use  or  break  a  young  pointer,  setter,  or  re- 
triever, to  rabbit-shooting  ;  it  is  certain  ruin,  and  wiU 
assuredly  make  him  a  hedge-potterer  all  his  life. 

When  the  dog  is  tired,  do  not  hunt  him,  it  de- 
creases his  zeal  for  sport,  and  injures  his  constitution 
to  encourage  sport  to  weary  limbs. 

Let  every  sportsman  who  uses  setters  remember, 


258  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

that  they  require  water  almost  every  hour,  especially 
during  hot  weather,  or  they  cannot  endure  the  fatigue 
of  a  hard  clay's  work. 

A  well-broken  dog  seldom  requires  a  word  to  be 
addressed  to  it ;  a  dumb  signal,  a  wave  of  the  hand 
or  motion  of  the  head  is  sufficient. 

If  you  want  to  catch  the  dog's  attention  in  the  field, 
simply  whistle  gently,  one  note  only ;  and  on  the  dog 
raising  his  head,  make  your  signal. 

]S"ever  interrupt  a  dog  when  it  appears  to  be  on 
the  scent  of  birds. 

Remember  too,  that,  although  the  dog  be  ever  so 
well  broken,  if  the  young  sportsman  does  not  know 
how  to  hunt  it  and  insist  on  its  keeping  to  the  rules 
of  instruction  inculcated  by  the  trainer,  it  will  soon 
be  taking  liberties  ;  and  if  these  are  uncorrected,  the 
dog  is  soon  spoilt. 

A  thorough-bred  dog  which  has  been  accustomed 
to  work  for  a  good  shot,  never  works  willingly  for  a 
bad  shot ;  after  discovering  that  he  seldom  kills  any 
thing.  Such  a  dog  has  often  been  known  to  run  away 
off  the  field,  and  endeavor  to  find  its  old  master. 

A  sportsman  should  never  allow  his  dogs  to  jump 
or  fawn  upon  him :  such  a  liberty  has  been  the  cause 
of  many  an  accident  with  the  gun. 


DOG-BEEAKIKG.  259 

The  term  "  hold  up  !"  means,  not  to  drop  the  nose 
too  near  the  ground.  It  is  also  the  general  term  used 
when  directing  the  dog  to  range  or  hunt  the  field. 
They  are  almost  the  only  words  of  encouragement 
that  should  be  spoken  to  the  pointer  or  setter  in  the 
field.  "  To-ho !"  need  not  be  used  very  often,  and 
indeed  never  to  a  steady  dog ;  it  indicates  that  the 
dog  must  pause  until  the  sportsman  approaches  :  and 
then,  on  further  encouragement,  advance  to  the  pre- 
cise spot  where  the  game  is  lying.  Some  dogs  grow 
impatient  after  standing  a  reasonable  time,  and  then 
rush  in  u^^on  the  game  ;  others  will  stand  ten  minutes 
or  more.  Colonel  Hutchinson  relates  an  anecdote  of 
a  doo;  which  was  left  standi nsj  in  the  field  whilst  the 
sportsman  went  to  a  friend's  house  and  lunched.  As 
it  is  a  very  good  story  I  give  it  in  his  own  words. 

"  The  largest  price  that  I  ever  knew  paid  for  a  dog 
was  for  a  red  setter.  After  mid-day  he  came  upon  a 
covey  basking  in  the  sun.  His  owner  very  knowing- 
ly told  the  shooting  party  that  they  might  go  to 
luncheon — that  he  would  leave  the  dog,  and  accom- 
pany them,  engaging  that  they  should  find  him  still 
steadily  pointing  on  their  return.  The  promise  was 
faithfully  redeemed  by  the  stanch  setter.  One  of 
the  sportsmen  was  so  struck  with  the  performance, 


260  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

that  he  could  not  resist  buying  at  a  tremendous  figure, 
and  he  soon  regained,  I  believe,  much  of  the  purchase- 
money  from  some  incredulous  acquaintance,  by  back- 
ing the  animal  to  perform  a  similar  feat."  This, 
however,  is  no  great  test  of  excellence ;  a  dog  that 
will  stand  very  firm  for  many  minutes  may  neverthe- 
less have  many  failings. 

When  the  dog  is  at  a  distance,  and  you  wish  him 
instantly  to  "  down  charge,"  thrust  the  hand  up  as 
high  in  the  air  as  you  can  reach,  stooping  the  head 
at  the  same  time. 

Ignorant  sportsmen  always  roar  out  to  the  dog 
immediately  after  firing,  to  "  down  charge !"  whereas 
a  well-broken  dog  needs  not  a  word  to  induce  it  to  do 
so,  the  report  of  the  gun  is  the  only  signal  necessary ; 
and  when  otherwise,  the  hand  should  be  raised  in  a 
manner  to  indicate  the  order,  which  should  be  in- 
stantly obeyed.  If  the  sportsman  finds  that  his  dog 
will  not  "  down  charge"  except  by  having  the  verbal 
order  addressed  to  it,  he  would  be  wise  to  be  rid  of 
such  a  dog,  it  shows  bad  and  imperfect  training. 

False  points,  and  pointing  larks,  are  very  bad 
faults ;  I  never  knew  an  instance  in  which  a  dog 
was  cured  of  them,  after  thoroughly  acquiring  the 
habit. 


DOG-BREAKING.  261 

It  is  highly  desirable  that  the  sportsman  should 
break  his  own  dog,  and  there  can  be  no  excuse  for 
any  country  gentleman :  if  he  has  an  ill-trained 
mongrel  it  is  his  own  fault,  he  has  plenty  of  time  to 
break  a  youug  dog;  and  with  care  and  constant 
practice,  he  may  make  one  as  perfect  as  can  be 
desired. 

A  well  educated  man  can  always  train  a  dog  very 
much  better  than  an  ignorant  one. 

In  your  humanity  and  good-nature  be  not  too  mild 
and  sparing  of  the  whip  ;  it  is  sometimes  absolutely 
necessaiy  to  use  it ;  but  the  chastisement  must  be 
given  with  discretion. 

Use  few  words  in  dog-breaking ;  and  fewer  still 
when  in  expectation  of  finding  game.  The  fewer 
words  of  command  you  have  in  dog-breaking  the 
sooner  and  better  they  will  be  understood  by  the 
animal  under  training. 

In  training  two  dogs  to  hunt  together,  let  all  the 
single  lessons  be  first  perfected  before  allowing  them 
to  hunt  double.  When  those  are  well  learned,  throw 
the  dogs  ofi",  one  to  the  right,  and  the  other  to  the 
left ;  and  make  them  cross  each  other  as  they  quarter 
the  fiel(^  Never  allow  one  to  follow  the  other,  or 
adopt  their  own  ways ;  but  make  them  go  by  dif- 


262  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

ferent  routes,  working  up  wind,  and  crossing  right 
and  left. 

The  sportsman  should  be  cautious  as  to  whom  he 
entrusts  the  breaking  of  his  dog ;  for  although  it  is 
an  easy  art,  it  requires  time  and  attention,  with  per- 
severance and  constant  practice  :  and,  as  bad  habits 
are  learned  as  quickly  as  good  ones,  the  training  and 
education  of  the  dog  to  the  gun  and  the  field,  must 
be  carefully  inculcated ;  for  it  must  be  remembered 
that  bad  habits  in  a  dog  are  even  more  difficult  to 
break  than  in  a  man. 

On  returning  home  from  sport,  look  to  the  dogs' 
feet  for  thorns,  and  if  any,  extract  them  forthwith. 
Give  them  plenty  of  clean  straw  on  a  boarded  floor, 
raised  a  foot  or  so  above  the  ground.  Never  allow  a 
dog  to  sleep  on  a  bricked  floor,  nor  in  any  damp 
place.  Give  them  a  portion  of  animal  food  with 
vegetables  daily,  when  hard  worked. 

And  bear  in  mind,  that  a  dog  is  not  able  to  stand 
two  successive  days'  hard  work  so  well  as  an  active 
sportsman. 

The  dog  is  an  excellent  physiognomist,  and  when 
near  enough,  understands  from  the  countenance  of 
its  master  whether  he  is  pleased  or  displeased  with 
its  actions. 


DOG-BREAKING.  263 

It  is  sometimes  evident  from  a  dog's  look  and 
manner,  that  he  has  just  been  doing  wrong,  though  his 
master  may  not,  at  the  moment,  be  aware  of  the 
nature  of  the  wrong.  In  such  a  case  the  master 
should  look  sternly  at  the  dog,  so  as  to  show  his  dis- 
pleasure ;  and  immediately  endeavor  to  find  out  the 
error,  which  if  discovered  at  once,  the  dog  should  be 
punished  ;  but,  having  come  and  confessed  the  fault, 
natural  goodness  and  humanity  demand  that  the 
chastisement  should  be  slight. 

A  dog  is  all  sincerity  of  heart  towards  its  master, 
and  knows  not  how  to  conceal  a  fault  or  mislead  him. 
Thus  the  dog  may  have  flushed  a  covey  through  care- 
lessness, or  have  chased  a  hare,  or  committed  some 
such  error ;  in  which  case,  whether  the  fault  be 
confessed  or  not,  unless  immediately  corrected,  the 
dog  wdll  think  he  may  do  so  at  any  time  with  impu- 
nity. 

Sir  Walter  Scott  says :  "  The  Almighty  who  gave 
the  dog  to  be  the  companion  of  our  pleasures  and  our 
toils,  bath  invested  him  with  a  nature  noble  and 
incapable  of  deceit.  He  forgets  neither  friend  or  foe ; 
remembers,  and  with  accuracy,  both  benefit  and 
injury.  He  hath  a  share  of  man's  intelligence,  but 
no   share   of    man's  falsehood.      You  may  bribe  a 


264  THE   DEAD   SHOT. 

soldier  to  slay  a  man  with  his  sword,  or  a  witness  to 
take  life  by  false  accusation ;  but  you  cannot  make  a 
hound  tear  his  benefactor." 

It  sometimes  happens,  through  the  ignorance  or 
stupidity  of  the  sportsman,  that  the  dog  is  unable  to 
comprehend  what  the  instructions  imply,  or  require 
of  him;  and  in  sagacious  modesty,  he  puts  his  tail 
down  and  comes  trembling  to  his  master's  heels ; 
telling  him,  through  the  expression  of  his  canine 
countenance,  that  he  is  desirous  of  obliging,  if  the 
sportsman  will  only  convey  to  him  in  the  most  natural 
and  comprehensible  dog-language,  what  his  wishes 
are.  A  man  who  beats  his  dog,  so  failing,  is  a  brute, 
and  unworthy  the  services  of  so  noble  and  intelligent 
a  creature. 


SPANIELS. 

Many  of  the  foregoing  remarks,  under  the  head 
"  Dog-breaking,"  apply  equally  to  breaking  spaniels  ; 
more  particularly  those  with  reference  to  mild  chas- 
tisement, hunting  for  secreted  food,  &c. 

Spaniels  are  lively  and  indefatigable  little  crea- 
tures, and  among  the  most  usellil  dogs  a  sportsman 
can  employ  for  certain  purposes. 


SPANIELS.  265 

There  is  great  difficulty  in  restraining  them  with- 
in bounds,  or  rather  within  range  of  gun-shot,  unless 
they  are  carefully  trained  when  young. 

The  check-cord  is  the  most  effective  instrument 
that  can  be  employed,  and,  indeed,  the  only  one  with 
which  to  break  spaniels. 

Whilst  training  young  dogs,  always  reward  their 
good  actions  with  little  bits  of  biscuit  or  cheese ;  and 
train  dogs  before  feeding  them,  not  just  after.  The 
finer  the  olfactory  organs  in  a  spaniel,  the  better  dog 
it  will  make  when  trained. 

The  term  "  hie  on !"  or  "  hie  in  !"  may  be  used  to 
spaniels  when  encouraging  them  to  hunt  a  thicket  or 
hedge ;  but  such  terms  should  never  be  used  either 
to  pointers  or  setters. 

The  trainer  should  insist  on  young  dogs  hunting 
the  field  closely ;  to  encourage  them  to  do  so,  he 
should  walk  steadily,  taking  the  field  in  zig-zag  form, 
after  the  manner  required  by  the  dog ;  and  in  giving 
spaniels  their  first  lessons  at  the  fences,  do  not  allow 
them  to  hurry  over  the  ground,  but  insist  on  their 
working  very  close. 

Never  allow  them  to  have  their  own  way  in  their 
early  lessons. 

They  must  also  be  taught  to  drop  to  the  hand ;  and 
12 


266  THE    DEAD    SHOT. 

if  intended  to  be  used  in  the  field  for  finding  par- 
tridges, they  must  be  taught  to  "  down  charge!" 


EETRIEVERS. 

Retrievers  are  most  useful  and  valuable  dogs  to  the 
sportsman.  In  almost  every  department  connected 
with  the  sport  of  shooting,  the  services  of  a  retriever 
are  essential.  Much  time  is  saved  in  recovering 
wounded  game,  and  many  birds  are  brought  to  bag, 
which,  without  the  assistance  of  a  retriever,  would 
be  lost. 

But  there  is  no  dog  in  which  a  greater  degree  of 
care  is  required  in  its  instruction ;  for  unless  most 
judiciously  trained,  the  best  bred  animal  will  be  a 
nuisance  rather  than  an  assistance. 

Mr.  Folkard  remarks  in  the  "  Wild  Fowler,"  on 
training  a  retriever,  "  Every  thing  depends  on  the  first 
lessons  they  receive,  as  to  their  ever  being  of  good 
service  to  the  sportsman."  A  remark  in  which  every 
man  who  knows  any  thing  about  training  a  retriever 
will  concur  ;  for  if  once  a  young  dog  acquires  a  habit 
of  killing,  biting,  or  lacerating  wounded  birds,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  break  him  of  it  effectually. 
Sooner  or  later  he  will  again  begin  his  bad  habits.    It 


BETRIEVEES.  267 

is,  therefore,  of  the  highest  coDsideration  that  the  re- 
triever should  receive  its  first  lessons  from  none  but 
those  who  are  thoroughly  awake  to  these  important 
principles.  A  retriever  which  injures  the  birds,  is  an 
animal  that  no  sportsman  would  allow  to  accompany 
him  ;  for,  of  all  faults,  it  is  the  very  w^orst,  and  one 
which  renders  the  dog  useless  for  field  sports. 

The  first  lessons  given  a  retriever  puppy  should 
be,  to  search  about  the  yard,  at  home,  for  pieces  of 
food  which  you  have  hidden  ;  encouraging  tlie  dog 
to  seek  and  find  them,  and  then  rewarding  him  with 
the  pleasure  of  eating  them.  These  lessons  should 
be  given,  at  first,  when  the  dog  is  hungry ;  and  always 
when  no  one  is  present  to  interrupt  the  trainer  or  the 
puppy. 

After  a  little  practice,  as  above,  the  trainer  should, 
by  means  of  a  long  string,  drag  a  piece  of  savory  food 
through  the  grass ;  commencing  at  short  distances, 
and  in  a  few  weeks  extendhig  it  to  fifty  or  one  hun- 
dred yards,  encouraging  the  dog  to  follow  and  find 
it ;  and  always  rewarding  him  with  a  bit  of  food 
when  he  succeeds.  The  more  the  retriever  puppy 
is  practised  in  this  way  the  better. 

Many  a  retriever  puppy  is  spoilt  by  children,  who, 
innocently  enough,   delight  in   throwing  sticks  and 


268  THE   DEAD    SHOT. 

stones  for  the  dog  to  fetch  ;  first  spitting  on  them,  in 
order  (as  they  sayj,  that  "  the  dog  may  find  it  by  the 
smell,  and  not  bring  a  wrong  one."  The  Uttle  inno- 
cents, however,  unless  they  happen  to  have  uncom- 
mon fetid  breath,  should  know  that  the  spittle  is  of 
no  great  assistance  to  the  dog  in  retrieving  their 
missiles. 

It  is  astonishing  how  soon  a  young  dog  may  be 
spoilt  in  this  manner,  by  being  taught  to  bring  hard 
substances,  of  which  it  always  endeavors  to  keep 
possession,  though  the  juveniles  tug  away  at  them, 
and  force  them  out  of  the  dog's  mouth  with  all  their 
might.  After  such  performances,  who  can  wonder 
if  the  dog  so  tampered  with,  bites  and  lacerates  the 
game  it  retrieves  ? 

The  retriever  puppy  should  be  taught  to  retrieve 
with  soft  substances,  having  nothing  disagreeable 
about  them,  either  in  smell  or  appearance.  A  bit  of 
stufiTed  fur  is  as  good  as  any  thing,  then  a  stuflfed  bird 
skin,  but  never  any  thing  hard  or  heavy. 

N'ever  praise  a  dog  whilst  bringing,  wait  until  he 
has  brought  and  deposited  in  your  hand,  then  praise 
and  pat  him. 

After  this  and  the  previous  lessons,  the  dog  should 
be  taken  out  into  the  field,  being  led  by  an  attendant ; 


RETRIEVERS.  269 

"whilst  an  elder  and  well-trained  dog  retrieves  game 
or  birds  which  the  sportsman  shoots. 

As  soon  as  possible  in  the  field,  the  dog  should 
have  a  winged  bird  to  retrieve,  which,  if  it  kills  or 
bites,  it  should  be  made  to  understand  distinctly  that 
it  has  done  wrong.  "With  angry  countenance  the 
sportsman  should  exhibit  the  torn  flesh,  and,  unmis- 
takably evince  his  displeasure  by  gentle  chastisement 
with  a  small  dog-whip. 

This  practice,  with  a  live  bird,  should  be  tried  over 
and  over  again,  and  the  dog  will  soon  acquire  the 
habit  of  bringing  the  birds  in  its  mouth  without 
injuring  them  in  the  least.  But  should  it  be  found 
difficult  to  prevent  the  dog  killing  or  lacerating  the 
birds,  resort  must  be  had  to  another  expedient,  viz., 
a  pincushion  studded  with  pins,  having  their  points 
outwards.  Put  the  pincushion  in  a  child's  sock,  a 
cloth  glove  or  something  soft,  and  then  frequently 
practise  the  dog  in  retrieving  it.  If  the  puppy  is 
disposed  to  be  hard-mouthed,  it  should  have  lessons 
in  retrieving  the  pincushion  before  being  taken  into 
the  field.  The  color  of  the  sock  or  glove  containing 
the  pincushion  should  be  frequently  changed,  in  order 
that  the  dog  may  suspect  every  thing  it  touches,  rath- 
er than  fear  to  bite  one  particular  colored  object  only. 


270  THE  DEAD   SHOT. 

It  appears  from  that  most  excellent  work  "The 
Wild-fowler,"  that  the  author  had  a  retriever  puppy 
so  carefully  trained  in  this  respect,  that  on  its  iirst 
lesson  in  the  fens,  in  retrieving  a  wild  duck  which 
was  only  slightly  wounded,  so  tenderly  did  the  pnppy 
gripe  it,  that  the  bird  freed  itself  from  the  jaws  of 
its  young  captor ;  leaving,  as  it  flew  away,  only  a 
few  feathers  in  the  dog's  mouth.  There  is  a  beauti- 
ful engraving  of  this  most  striking  scene  in  the  work 
alluded  to  ;  and  it  is  stated  that  the  dog  never  after- 
w^ards  allowed  a  captive  to  escape.  It  was,  truly,  a 
most  promising  error  in  a  puppy,  and  one  which 
needed  no  chastisement ;  the  dog  was  vexed  enough, 
no  doubt,  to  lose  so  pleasing  a  prize,  as  probably  the 
sportsman  would  be  also,  though  he  must  have  re- 
joiced at  the  perfectly  successful  training  of  his  puppy 
retriever. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  retrievers  thoroughly  de- 
light in  bringing  birds  in  their  mouths  ;  and  when 
trained  to  bring  them  alive  without  hurting  them, 
their  delight  is  increased  as  they  become  more 
practised. 

If  the  retriever  is  required  for  snipe  or  wild-fowl 
shooting,  it  should  be  taught  in  summer  to  retrieve 
from  the  water ;  and  afterwards,  when  well  learned. 


EETEEEVERS.  271 

be  the  weather  ever  so  cold,  the  dog  will  not  re- 
fuse to  enter  the  water  in  pursuit  of  a  dead  or 
wounded  bird. 

Retrievers  should  be  taught  to  deliver  the  game 
into  the  sportsman's  hand,  or  directly  at  his  feet; 
and  they  must  be  restrained  from  running  in,  by 
practising  them  in  the  "  down  charge"  lesson,  in 
the  same  manner  as  with  pointers  and  setters  (see 
ante,  p.  252.) 

The  retriever  should  always  be  taught  to  keep 
close  to  his  master  when  in  the  field,  until  directed 
to  "  fetch."  It  will  then  learn,  in  course  of  time,  to 
watch  the  birds  as  they  fall  to  the  gun ;  and  on  a 
signal  from  its  master,  go  direct  to  the  spot. 

When  a  dead  or  wounded  bird  is  lost,  the  dog 
should  be  encouraged  to  search  diligently  for  it,  the 
terms  "seek!"  or  "hie  lost!"  being  sometimes  used ; 
though  most  dogs  that  are  well  trained  and  have 
good  noses,  hunt  .best  without  any  such  encour- 
agement. 

About  two  months  of  careful  instruction  is  suf- 
ficient to  break  a  retriever,  and  render  it  useful  for 
land  or  water  ;  but  it  can  only  be  perfected  by  time 
and  practice. 

Close   confinement,  without   air  and  exercise,  is 


212  THB  DEAD  SHOT. 

prejudicial  to  the  dog's  health :  and  ultimately  im- 
pairs its  sagacity  and  spoils  its  temper. 

During  the  non-shooting  season  dogs  should  be  tak- 
en out  almost  every  day  with  a  trustworthy  person. 

They  require  watching,  lest  children  or  servants 
tamper  with  them,  by  sending  them  to  and  fro  to 
retrieve  stones  and  sticks. 

N  ever  use  a  retriever  for  killing  vermin. 

It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  kennel  retrievers  with 
other  dogs. 

And  if  allowed  to  run  at  large,  they  are  in  danger 
of  being  spoilt  by  idle  persons. 

The  sportsman  should  never  use  two  retrievers  at 
once;  one  is  at  all  times  sufficient.  By  using  two  in 
the  same  sport,  both  are  so  eager  for  the  honor  of 
retrieving  the  bird,  that  one  struggles  to  take  it  away 
from  the  other,  and  so  the  bird  is  sure  to  be  torn  and 
spoilt.  When  it  accidentally  occurs  that  two  dogs 
are  so  situated,  the  sportsman  should  spare  the  dog 
which  first  captured  the  bird,  and  chastise  the  other ; 
more  particularly  if  the  other  be  not  a  retriever. 

Train  the  retriever  (as  indeed  all  dogs  for  shoot- 
ing) as  much  as  possible  by  silent  signals;  use  the 
voice  seldom ;  and  when  necessary  to  speak  to  the 
dog,  do  so  with  one  word  only,  or  two  at  the  most. 


APPENDIX. 


GAME  LAWS  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 


AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  AN  ACT  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  AND 
CONSOLIDATE  THE  SEVERAL  ACTS  RELATING  TO  THE  PRESERVA- 
TION OP  MOOSE,  WILD  DEER,  BIRDS,  AND  FRESH-WATER  FISH," 
PASSED  MAT  NINTH,   EIGHTEEN  HUNDRED  AND   SIXTY-EIGHT. 

Passed  May  18,  1869. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York^  represented 
in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do  enact  as  follows: — 

Section  1.  Ko  person  shall  kill,  or  pursue  with 
intent  to  kill,  in  the  counties  of  Kings,  Queens,  or 
Suffolk,  any  moose  or  wild  deer  at  any  time  within 
five  years  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  and  in  the 
residue  of  the  State  only  during  the  months  of 
August,  from  the  fifteenth  day  thereof,  September, 
October,  November,  and  December,  or  shall  expose 
for  sale,  or  have  in  his  or  her  possession,  any  green 
moose  or  deer  skin,  or  fresh  venison,  save  only  in  tlio 
months  aforesaid  and  to  the  tenth  of  January.  Tho 
hunting  of  deer  with  dogs  is  hereby  prohibited. 
12* 


274  APPENDIX. 

§  2.  No  person  shall  at  any  time  kill  any  wild 
fawn  during  the  periods  when  such  fawn  is  in  its 
spotted  coat,  or  kill,  expose  for  sale,  or  have  at  any 
time  in  his  or  her  possession  any  gray  rabbit,  from 
the  first  of  January  to  the  Urst  of  ISTovembe 

§  3.  'No  person  shall  kill,  catch,  or  discharge  any 
fire-arm  at  any  wild  pigeon  while  in  any  nesting- 
ground,  or  break  up  or  in  any  manner  disturb  such 
nesting-ground  or  the  nests,  or  birds  therein,  or  dis- 
charge any  fire-arm  at  any  distance  within  one-fourth 
mile  of  such  nesting-place  at  such  pigeon. 

§  4.  No  person  shall  kill  or  expose  for  sale,  or  have 
in  his  possession  after  the  same  is  killed,  any  wood 
duck  (sometimes  called  summer  duck),  dusky  duck 
(commonly  called  black  duck),  mallard  or  teal  duck, 
between  the  first  day  of  February  and  the  fifteenth 
day  of  August,  in  each  year,  except  on  the  waters  of 
Long  Island  Sound  or  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  No  per- 
son shall  at  any  time  kill  any  wild  duck,  goose,  or 
other  wild  fowl,  with  or  by  means  of  the  device  or 
instrument  known  as  the  swivel  or  punt  gun,  or  with 
or  by  means  of  any  gun  other  than  such  guns  as  are 
habitually  raised  at  arm's  length,  and  fired  from  the 
shoulder,  or  shall  use  any  such  device  or  instrument 
or  gun  other  than  such  gun  as  aforesaid,  with  intent 
to  kill  any  such  duck,  goose,  or  other  wild  fowl.  No 
person  shall  in  any  manner  kill,  or  molest  with  in- 
tent to  kill,  any  wild  ducks,  geese,  or  other  wild  fowl, 
while  the  same  are  sitting  at  night  upon  their  rest- 
ing-places. 


APPENDIX. 


275 


§  5.  Any  person  violating  the  foregoing  provi- 
sions of  this  act  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  mis- 
demeanor, and  shall  likewise  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of 
fifty  dollars  for  each  offence ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  all  sheriffs,  constables,. and  other  police  officers  to 
see  that  these  provisions  are  enforced. 

§  6.  No  person  shall  at  any  time,  within  this 
State,  kill  or  trap,  or  expose  for  sale,  or  have  in  his 
possession  after  the  same  is  killed,  any  eagle,  fish 
hawk,  night  hawk,  whippoorwill,  finch,  sparrow,  yel- 
low bird,  wren,  martin,  swallow,  tanager,  oriole, 
bobolink,  or  any  otlier  song-bird ;  or  kill,  trap,  or  ex- 
pose for  sale,  any  robin,  brown  thresher,  woodpecker, 
black-bird,  meadow  lark,  or  starling,  save  during  the 
months  of  August,  September,  October,  November, 
and  December ;  nor  destroy  or  rob  the  nests  of  any 
wild  birds  whatever,  under  a  penalty  of  five  dol- 
lars for  each  bird  so  killed,  trapped,  or  exposed 
for  sale,  and  for  each  nest  destroyed  or  robbed. 
This  section  shall  not  apply  to  any  person  who  shall 
kill  or  trap  any  bird  for  the  purpose  of  studying  its 
habits  or  history,  or  having  the  same  stufied  and  set 
up  as  a  specimen ;  nor  to  any  person  who  shall 
kill  on  his  own  premises  any  robins  during  the  period 
when  summer  fruits  or  grapes  are  ripening,  provided 
sucli  robin  is  killed  in  the  act  of  destroying  such 
fruits  or  grapes. 

§  7.  No  person  saall,  at  any  time  within  ten  years 
from  the  passage  of  this  act,  kill  any  pinnated  grouse, 
commonly  called  the  prairie  fowl,  unless  upon  grounds 


2*16  APPENDIX. 

owned  by  them,  and  grouse  placed  thereon  by  said 
owners,  under  a  penalty  of  ten  dollars  for  each  bird 
so  killed. 

§  8.  Ko  person  shall  kill,  or  have  in  his  or  her 
possession,  except  alive,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving 
the  same  alive  through  the  winter,  or  expose  for  sale, 
any  woodcock,  between  the  iirst  day  of  January  and 
the  fourth  day  of  July,  or  any  quail,  sometimes  called 
Virginia  partridge,  between  the  first  day  of  January 
and  the  twentieth  day  of  October,  or  any  ruifed 
grouse,  commonly  called  partridge,  between  the  first 
day  of  January  and  the  first  day  of  September,  oi 
have  in  his  possession  any  pinnated  grouse,  com 
monly  called  prairie  chicken,  or  expose  the  same  for 
sale  between  the  first  day  of  February  and  the  first 
day  of  July,  under  a  penalty  of  ten  dollars  for  each 
bird  so  killed  or  had  in  possession,  or  exposed  for  sale. 

§  9.  No  person  shall  kill,  or  pursue  with  intent  to 
kill,  in  the  counties  of  Kings,  Queens,  Suffolk,  and 
Richmond,  any  ruffed  grouse,  commonly  called  par. 
tridge,  or  any  Virginia  partridge,  commonly  called 
quail,  at  any  time  within  two  years  after  the  passage 
of  this  act,  except  such  person  has  stocked  with  game- 
birds  any  of  the  lands  lying  therein,  and  they  only 
under  such  restrictions  as  are  contained  in  the  various 
sections  of  this  act. 

§  10.  1^0  person  shall,  at  any  time  or  in  any  place 
within  this  State,  with  any  trap  or  snare,  take  any 
quail  or  ruffed  grouse,  under  a  penalty  of  five  dollars 
for  each  quail  or  grouse  so  trapped  or  snared. 


APPENDIX.  277 

§  11.  There  shall  be  no  shooting,  hunting,  or  trap- 
ping on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  called  Sunday; 
and  any  person  violating  the  provisions  of  this  sec- 
tion shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  not  more  than 
twenty-five  nor  less  than  ten  dollars  for  each  offence, 
or  imprisonment  for  not  more  than  twenty  nor  less 
than  five  days. 

§  12.  In  the  counties  of  Kings,  Queens,  and  Suf- 
folk, or  on  the  waters  adjacent  to  the  same,  no  per- 
son shall  kill,  or  have  in  his  or  her  possession  after 
the  same  is  killed,  any  wild  goose,  brant,  wood  duck, 
dusky  duck  (commonly  called  black  duck),  mallard, 
widgeon,  teal,  shelldrake,  broadbill,  coot,  or  old 
squaw,  between  the  tenth  day  of  June  and  the  twen- 
tieth day  of  October  in  each  year  ;  and  no  person  shall 
kill  or  shoot  at  any  wild  goose,  brant,  or  duck  after 
sunset  and  before  daylight  on  any  day  of  the  year ; 
and  no  person  shall  sail  for  wild  fowl  or  shoot  at  any 
wild  goose,  brant,  or  duck  from  any  vessel  propelled 
by  sail  or  steam,  or  from  any  boat  attached  to  the 
same ;  and  no  person  shall  use  any  floating  battery 
or  machine  for  the  purpose  of  killing  wild  fowl, 
or  shoot  out  of  such  floating  machine  at  any  wild 
goose,  brant,  or  duck.  But  nothing  herein  contained 
shall  prohibit  the  use  of  floats  or  batteries  in  Long 
Island  Sound.  Any  person  violating  any  of  the  pro- 
visions of  this  section  shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of 
fifty  dollars  for  each  offence. 

§  13.  Any  person  trespassing  upon  lands  owned  or 
occupied  by  another,  for  the  purpose  of  shooting, 


278  APPENDIX. 

hunting,  or  fishing  thereon,  after  public  notice  by 
such  owner  or  occujDant,  as  provided  in  the  following 
section,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  trespass,  and  shall 
be  liable  to  such  owner  or  occupant  in  exemplary 
damages  for  each  offence,  not  exceeding  twenty-five 
dollars,  and  shall  also  be  liable  to  the  owner  or  occu- 
pant for  the  value  of  the  game  killed  or  taken. 

§  14.  The  notice  referred  to  in  the  preceding  sec- 
tion shall  be  given  by  publishing  an  advertisement 
particularly  describing  such  land,  and  forbidding 
such  trespass,  in  the  official  papers  of  the  county,  or 
a  paper  published  in  the  town  where  such  lands  are 
situated,  for  the  period  of  three  weeks,  and  in  the 
months  of  April  or  May  in  each  year,  by  sign-boards 
at  least  one  foot  square,  to  be  put  up  and  maintained 
in  not  less  than  two  conspicuous  places  on  the  prem- 
ises ;  such  notices  to  be  signed  by  or  have  appended 
thereto  the  name  of  the  owner  or  occupant. 

§  15.  No  person  shall  place  in  any  fresh-water 
stream,  lake,  or  pond,  without  the  consent  of  the 
owner,  or  in  shore  waters  and  estuaries  with  rivers 
debouching  into  them,  any  lime  or  other  deleterious 
substance,  with  the  intent  to  injure  fish  ;  or  any  drug 
or  medicated  bait,  with  intent  thereby  to  poison  or 
catch  fish  ;  nor  place  in  any  pond  or  lake  stocked 
with  or  inhabited  by  trout  or  black  bass,  any  drug 
or  other  deleterious  substance,  with  intent  to  destroy 
such  trout  or  bass ;  nor  place  in  any  fresh-wate)-  pond 
or  stream  stocked  with  brook  trout,  any  pike,  pick- 
erel, black  bass,  or  rpck  bass,  or  other  piscivorous 


APPENDIX.  270 

fish  (salmon  excepted),  without  the  consent  of  the 
owner  or  owners  of  the  lands  upon  which  such  pond 
or  stream  is  situated.  Any  person  violating  the  pro- 
visions of  this  section  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
misdemeanor,  and  shall,  in  addition  thereto,  and  in 
addition  to  any  damage  he  may  have  done,  be  liable 
to  a  penalty  of  one  hundred  dollars. 

§  16.  Every  person  building  or  maintaining  a  dam 
upon  any  of  the  fluvial  waters  of  this  State,  which 
dam  is  higher  than  two  feet,  shall  likewise  build  and 
maintain,  during  the  months  of  March,  April,  May, 
September,  October,  and  November,  for  the  purpose 
of  the  passage  of  fish,  a  sluiceway  in  the  mid-channel, 
at  least  one  foot  in  depth  at  the  edge  of  the  dam,  and 
of  proper  width,  and  placed  at  an  angle  of  not  more 
than  thirty  degrees,  and  extending  entirely  to  the 
running  water  below  the  dam,  which  sluiceway  shall 
be  protected  on  each  side  by  an  apron  at  least  one 
foot  in  height  to  confine  the  water  therein. 

§  17.  No  person  shall  at  any  time,  with  intent  so 
to  do,  catch  any  speckled  brook  trout  or  any  speckled 
river  trout,  with  any  device  save  only  with  a  hook 
and  line ;  and  no  person  shall  catch  any  such  trout, 
or  have  any  such  trout  in  his  or  her  possession,  save 
only  during  the  months  of  April,  May,  June,  July, 
and  August,  under  a  penalty  of  five  dollars  for  each 
trout  so  caught  or  had  in  his  possession;  but  this 
section  shall  not  prevent  any  person  or  corporation 
from  catching  trout  in  waters  owned  by  them  or 
upon  their  premises  to  stock  other  waters,  in  any 


280  APPENDIX. 

manner  or  at  any  time.  But  the  comities  of  Kings, 
Queens,  and  Suffolk  shall  be  excepted  from  the  pr®- 
Adsions  of  the  above  section,  so  far  as  to  allow  the 
taking  or  catching  of  trout  in  the  counties  last  named 
during  the  month  of  March. 

§  18.  Any  person  or  persons  or  company,  en- 
gaged in  the  increase  of  brook  trout  by  artificial 
process  (known  as  fish  culture),  may  take  from  their 
own  ponds,  in  any  way,  and  cause  to  be  transported, 
and  may  sell  brook  trout  and  the  spawn  of  brook 
trout  at  any  time,  and  common  carriers  may  trans- 
port them,  and  dealers  sell  them,  on  condition  that 
the  packages  thereof  so  transported  are  accompanied 
by  a  certificate  of  a  justice  of  the  peace,  certifying 
that  such  trout  are  sent  by  the  owner  or  owners  or 
agent  of  parties  so  engaged  in  fish  culture.  And  such 
persons  or  company  may  take,  in  any  way,  and  at 
any  time,  upon  the  premises  of  any  person,  under 
permission  of  the  owner  thereof,  brook  trout  to  be 
kept  and  used  as  brook  trout  for  artificial  propaga- 
tion only,  and  for  no  other  purpose. 

§  19.  No  person  shall  take  or  have  in  possession 
any  salmon  or  lake  trout  in  the  months  of  November, 
December,  January,  and  February,  under  a  penalty 
of  five  dollars  for  each  fish  so  taken  and  had  in  pos- 
session. But  this  section  shall  not  apply  to  the 
waters  of  Otsego  Lake. 

§  20.  No  person  shall  take  or  have  in  possession 
any  Oswego  bass  or  black  bass,  or  muscallonge,  be- 
tween the  first  day  of  January  and  the  first  day  of 


APPENDIX.  281 

May,  under  a  penalty  of  five  dollars  for  each  fish  so 
taken  or  had  in  possession.  And  no  person  shall  take 
any  black  bass  from  the  waters  of  Lake  Mahopac,  or 
have  in  possession  any  fish  so  taken,  between  the  first 
day  of  January  and  the  first  day  of  July,  under  a 
penalty  of  ten  dollars  for  each  fish  so  taken  or  had  in 
possession. 

§  21.  No  person  shall,  at  any  time,  take  any 
fish  with  a  net,  spear,  or  trap  of  any  kind,  or  set  any 
trap,  net,  weir,  or  pot,  with  intent  to  catch  fish,  in 
any  of  the  fresh  waters  or  canals  of  this  State,  except 
as  hereinbefore  or  hereinafter  provided ;  nor  shall  it 
be  lawful,  at  any  time,  to  draw  any  seine  or  net,  for 
the  taking  of  fish,  in  any  portion  of  Flushing  Bay  or 
its  branches,  nor  in  lakes  Canandaigua,  Cayuga, 
Onondaga,  Champlain,  or  the  inlets  thereof;  and  any 
person  violating  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall 
be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  shall  like- 
wise be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  twenty-five  dollars  for 
each  offence ;  but  suckers,  catfish,  bullheads,  bony 
fish,  or  moss  bunkers,  eels,  white  fish,  shad,  herring, 
and  minnows  are  exempted  from  the  operation  of 
this  section,  also  pike  in  all  waters  save  those  lying 
in  Columbia  County  ;  provided,  however,  that  nothing 
in  this  section  shall  be  so  construed  as  to  legalize  the 
use  of  gill  nets  in  any  of  the  inland  waters  or  canals 
of  this  State,  nor  seines  or  nets  of  any  kind  in  the 
waters  of  Otsego  Lake,  except  from  the  first  day  of 
March  to  the  last  day  of  August,  and  no  gill  nets  ex- 
cept during  the  months  of  July  and  August.  But  no 


282  APPENDIX. 

such  seine  or  net  shall  have  meshes  less  than  one  inch 
and  one-quarter  in  size,  and  in  the  Hudson  River  the 
meshes  of  all  gill  nets  shall  be  five  inches  in  size 
each,  and  those  of  fykes  set  in  any  of  the  waters  sur- 
rounding Long  Island,  Fire  Island,  Staten  Island,  and 
the  bays,  salt-water  estuaries  and  rivers  approach- 
ino;  thereto,  to  be  not  less  than  five  inches  each  in 
size ;  and  any  person  who  shall  wilfully  injure  or  de- 
stroy, by  grappling  or  otherwise,  any  nets  used  in 
the  Hudson  or  East  rivers  for  the  purpose  of  catch- 
ing shad,  shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  twenty-five 
dollars  for  each  offence,  and  in  default  of  payment 
thereof,  shall  be  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  of  the 
county  within  whose  jurisdiction  the  offence  may  be 
committed. 

§  22.  Xo  person  shall  sell,  expose  for  sale,  or  pur- 
chase, or  have  in  his  or  her  possession,  any  fish  taken 
contrary  to  the  preceding  section  of  this  act,  under  a 
penalty  of  five  dollars  for  each  fish  so  sold,  exposed 
for  sale,  purchased,  or  had  in  possession  with  intent 
to  violate  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

§  23.  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  to  take 
and  retain  with  a  seine  or  net  in  any  of  the  waters 
of  Jamaica  Bay,  or  in  any  of  the  creeks  or  channels 
connecting  the  said  bay  with  the  ocean,  nor  in 
Haunces  Creek,  in  Hempstead  Bay,  any  fish  known 
as  sheep's  head,  under  a  penalty  of  twenty  dollars, 
or  imprisonment  not  less  than  ten  days  for  each 
sheep's  head  so  taken  with  a  seine  or  net.  Suits  for 
the  recovery  of  the  penalties  incurred  for  a  violation 


APPENDIX.  283 

of  this  section  may  be  brought  before  any  justice  of 
the  peace  whose  jurisdiction  extends  to  the  shores  of 
said  Jamaica  Bay. 

§  24.  All  penalties  imposed  under  the  provisions 
of  this  act  may  be  recovered  with  cost  of  suit  by  any 
person  or  persons  in  his  or  their  own  names,  before 
any  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  county  where  the 
offence  was  committed  or  where  the  defendant  re- 
sides ;  or  when  such  suit  shall  be  brought  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  before  any  justice  of  any  of  the  dis- 
trict courts  or  of  the  Marine  Court  of  said  city ;  or 
such  penalties  may  be  recovered  in  an  action  in  the 
Supreme  Court  of  this  State  by  any  person  or  persons, 
in  his  or  their  own  names,  which  action  shall  be  gov- 
erned by  the  same  rules  as  other  actions  in  said  Su- 
preme Court,  except  that  on  a  recovery  by  the  plain- 
tiff or  plaintiffs  in  such  suit  in  said  court  of  less  than 
fifty  dollars  the  plaintiff  shall  be  entitled  to  costs  not 
exceeding  the  amount  of  such  recovery ;  and  any 
district  court  judge,  justice  of  the  peace,  police  or 
other  magistrate,  is  authorized,  upon  receiving  suffi- 
cient security  for  costs  on  the  part  of  the  complain- 
ant, and  sufficient  proof,  by  affidavit,  of  the  violation 
of  the  provisions  of  this  act  by  any  person  being 
temporarily  within  his  jurisdiction,  but  not  residing 
therein,  or  by  any  person  whose  name  and  residence 
are  unknown,  to  issue  his  warrant,  and  have  such 
offender  committed  or  held  to  bail  to  answer  the 
charge  against  him ;  and  any  district  court  judge, 
justice  of  the  peace,  police  or  other  magistrate  may, 


284  APPENDIX. 

upon  proof  of  probable  cause  to  believe  in  the  con- 
cealment of  any  game  or  fish  mentioned  in  this  act, 
during  any  of  the  prohibited  periods,  issue  his  search- 
warrant  and  cause  search  to  be  made  in  any  house, 
market,  boat,  car,  or  other  building,  and  for  that  end 
may  cause  any  apartment,  chest,  box,  locker,  or  crate 
to  be  broken  open  and  the  contents  examined.  Any 
penalties,  when  collected,  shall  be  paid  by  the  court 
before  which  recovery  shall  be  had,  one-half  to  the 
overseers  of  the  poor,  for  the  use  of  the  poor  of  the 
town  in  which  conviction  is  had,  and  the  remainder 
to  the  prosecutor.  On  the  non-payment  of  the  pen- 
alty the  defendants  shall  be  committed  to  the  com- 
mon jail  of  the  county  for  a  period  not  less  than  five 
days,  and  at  the  rate  of  one  day  for  each  dollar  of 
the  amount  of  the  judgment,  where  the  sum  is  over 
five  dollars  in  amount.  Any  court  of  special  sessions 
in  this  State  shall  have  jurisdiction  to  try  and  dis- 
pose of  all  and  any  of  the  oifences  arising  in  the 
same  county  against  the  provisions  of  this  act ;  and 
every  justice  of  the  peace  shall  have  jurisdiction 
within  his  county  of  actions  to  recover  any  penalty 
hereby  given  or  created. 

§  25.  Any  person  proving  that  the  birds,  fish, 
skins,  or  animals  found  in  his  or  her  possession  during 
the  prohibited  periods  were  imported  from  beyond 
the  United  States,  or  were  killed  prior  to  such 
periods,  or  were  killed  in  any  place  outside  the  limits 
of  this  State,  but  within  the  United  States,  and  that 
the  law  of  such  place  did  not  prohibit  such  killing, 


APPENDIX.  R85 

shall  be  exempted  from  the  penalties  of  this  act. 
Except  that  any  person  having  in  his  or  her  posses- 
sion pinnated  grouse,  commonly  called  prairie- 
chickens,  ruffed  grouse,  commonly  called  partridges, 
fresh  venison,  or  quail,  on  or  after  the  first  day  of 
March,  and  between  that  day  and  the  time  when 
they  can  be  lawfully  killed  under  the  provisions  of 
this  act,  shall  be  liable  to  the  penalties  hereinbefore 
set  forth,  regardless  of  the  time  when  or  place  where 
the  said  game  was  killed. 

§  26.  In  all  prosecutions  under  this  act,  it  shall  be 
competent  for  common  carriers  or  express  companies 
to  show  that  the  inhibited  article  in  his  or  her  j)osses- 
sion  came  into  such  possession  in  another  State,  or  from 
beyond  the  United  States,  in  which  State  the  law  did 
not  prohibit  such  possession,  and  such  showing  shall 
be  deemed  a  defence  in  such  prosecution.  No  action 
for  a  penalty  under  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be 
settled  or  compromised,  except  upon  the  payment 
into  court  of  the  full  amount  of  such  penalty,  unless 
upon  such  terms  and  conditions  as  may  be  imposed 
by  the  district  attorney  of  the  county  in  which  such 
action  shall  have  been  brought. 

§  27.  Nothing  in  this  act  contained  shall  apply  to 
fish  caught  or  to  the  taking  of  fish  in  the  waters  of 
Lake  Ontario,  or  any  of  its  bays  or  estuaries  within 
the  counties  of  Oswego,  Jefferson,  Cayuga,  Wayne, 
and  St.  Lawrence,  nor  to  the  catching  of  fish  in  any 
way  in  the  St.  Lawi'ence  River. 


286  APPENDIX. 

§  28.  The  provisions  of  this  act  shall  not  be 
deemed  to  apply  or  aiFect  the  taking  of  fish  in 
Oneida  Lake,  at  a  distance  of  one  mile  beyond  the 
shores  thereof,  or  prevent  the  taking  of  fish  from. 
Sand  Pond  or  Moss  Lake  and  Fern  Lake,  lying  in  the 
county  of  Ulster,  by  the  owner  or  owners  of  the 
lands  upon  which  said  lakes  are  situated,  durino-  the 
month  of  September. 

§  29.  It  shall  be  unlawful  to  use  or  draw  for  the 
taking  of  fish  of  any  kind  whatever,  any  seine  or  net 
in  Kennyetto  or  Fondasbush  Creek,  in  the  county  of 
Fulton,  or  in  the  Sacandaga  Vlaie,  or  in  any  part 
thereof,  in  said  county,  above  the  covered  bridge, 
near  the  village  of  Fish  House,  commonly  known 
as  the  "  Vlaie  Creek  Bridge,"  or  any  of  the  streams 
emptying  into  the  said  Vlaie. 

§  30.  Any  person  violating  the  provisions  of  the 
preceding  section  shall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  be 
deemed  guilty  of  misdemeanor,  and  also  liable  to  a 
penalty  of  twenty-five  dollars,  which  may  be  recov- 
ered in  the  manner  prescribed  in  section  twenty  of 
said  chapter  eight  hundred  and  eighty-eight,  hereby 
amended. 

§  31.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  with 
the  provisions  of  this  act  are  hereby  repealed. 

§  32.  This  act  shall  take  efiect  on  the  first  day  of 
June,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-nine. 


FOURTEEN  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 


This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


30Jui'55ii,j 

IIIV 

JUL  16 1955  ^-jy 

LD  21-100m-2,'55 
(B139s22)476 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


'■  ^^07 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


